Soon the wintry weather will be a just a distant memory, with spring underway and summer just around the corner.
The clock changes might mean we will have darker mornings, but the evenings will stay lighter for longer. The weather will gradually get warmer and sunnier - although don't forget to account for those April showers. And while you're getting out more and enjoying the sunshine, it hits you.
A runny nose, itchy, watery eyes and sneezing; it's hay fever season. Hay fever is an allergy to pollen which can affect your sinuses and cause cold-like symptoms. In some cases it can cause people with asthma to wheeze and have a tighter chest.
READ MORE: How to get a good night's sleep as the clocks change this weekend
Unlike a cold, though, hay fever can last for weeks and months. According to the NHS, hay fever is usually worse between late March and September, when the pollen count is at its highest. Warm, humid and windy weather can also have an impact.
The Met Office explains that different types of pollen occur at different times of the year. Tree pollen is usually noticeable first, from late March to mid-May. Meanwhile grass pollen lasts from mid-May until July and weed pollen can be felt from the end of June to September.
The phases of hay fever season can also depend on whereabouts you're based in the UK. The Met Office states: "there’s a later start and shorter season in the north of the UK, where generally there is less pollen. Urban areas have lower counts than the countryside, and places inland have higher counts than around the coast."
Other factors can also impact hay fever season, including low temperatures in winter. These keep plants and trees dormant for longer into the new year, according to the Met Office. The lower the temperature the less pollen is produced - however this can change if soil and air temperatures in spring are higher than normal.
The Met Office continued: "Spring rainfall is also key, as a dry season reduces the amount of pollen production. Regardless of the weather, pollen is also dependent on how hardy different species are and how well they cope with a mixture of different types in one region."
According to the NHS, there is no cure or prevention for hay fever, however there are steps you can take to help alleviate symptoms when the pollen count is high. These include putting Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen, washing pollen off by changing your clothes and showering after spending time outside and staying indoors as much as possible.
READ NEXT:
'My baby was just eight hours old when doctors realised horrifying diagnosis'
NHS told to stop prescribing certain type of eczema treatment to children
The three simple habits that can help you lead a long life, according to longevity doctor
Woman unable to wee for more than a year diagnosed with rare condition that 'changed her life'
Manchester GP explains symptoms of lung cancer to be aware of
