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Summer allergies hit allergy sufferers hard and fast this year - especially those who suffer from the dreaded ragweed. The combination of a wet spring and hot, dry summer spelled disaster for ragweed sufferers. Ragweed season has started much earlier than most years, which typically occurs between mid August and mid October. However, it has been predicted that you can expect ragweed pollen to continue to pester you up until the first frost'joy.

Allergy symptoms can leave you feeling completely miserable - stuffiness, headaches, itchy eyes, and sneezing are just some of the many symptoms experienced by allergy sufferers. The good news is there may actually be relief in sight. Doctors are now saying that to find relief from allergy symptoms, timing is everything.

Most people probably notice that their allergy symptoms are worse the first thing in the morning - and so they instinctively reach for their allergy pills. However, this may in fact be the wrong time for you to take your medicine and will consequently find no relief.

Allergy specialists who study circadian rhythms are discovering that the best time to take your allergy medicine is before you go to bed. This way it is already in your system when you wake up in the morning, to help reduce those miserable symptoms.

Circadian rhythms are 24 hour cycles of the body that control rhythmic changes such as body temperature, sleep patterns, blood pressure, and digestion patterns. Studies have shown that allergy symptoms are usually at their worst between four and six o'clock in the morning. Since allergy symptoms appear to follow a circadian rhythm and worsen at night and early in the morning, it is best to take your allergy medicine right before you go to bed. People who have tried this have found more relief from their allergy symptoms. Dr. Richard Martin says, 'It's much easier to prevent things [allergy symptoms] than from reversing things once they occur.'

Allergy specialists are going to continue to study the relationship between circadian rhythms and allergy symptoms. If they can find out exactly what signals these dreadful responses by the body, then they can determine how to prevent them and finally put an end to allergy symptoms once and for all - what a glorious day that will be!