Are Your Allergies Getting Worse?

What are allergies?

An allergy is essentially an overreaction of your immune system to a substance that’s normally harmless – like pollen, dust mites, pet dander or mould spores. For someone with allergies, these triggers (known as allergens) spark the release of histamine and other chemicals, causing inflammation and those all-too-familiar symptoms: sneezing, itchy eyes, blocked sinuses and fatigue. But why is your immune system overreacting?

The immune system’s job is to protect you from harmful invaders like viruses, bacteria, and toxins. In a healthy, balanced state, it can tell the difference between a real threat and something that’s harmless. But when the immune system becomes dysregulated – often due to chronic inflammation, gut imbalances, toxin exposure or stress – it can become overly reactive. This hypersensitivity causes it to misidentify harmless substances as dangerous, triggering an exaggerated inflammatory response.

In many cases, the immune system has been ‘primed’ by years of stressors such as poor diet, childhood infections, lack of microbial exposure, or even unresolved trauma. It’s like a smoke alarm that’s been set off too many times and now it goes off at the slightest hint of trouble. This is why allergies aren’t just about the allergen itself – they’re about the state of your immune system.

An allergy is essentially an overreaction of your immune system to a substance that’s normally harmless – like pollen, dust mites, pet dander or mould spores. For someone with allergies, these triggers (known as allergens) spark the release of histamine and other chemicals, causing inflammation and those all-too-familiar symptoms: sneezing, itchy eyes, blocked sinuses and fatigue.

But why is your immune system overreacting?

The immune system’s job is to protect you from harmful invaders like viruses, bacteria, and toxins. In a healthy, balanced state, it can tell the difference between a real threat and something that’s harmless. But when the immune system becomes dysregulated, it can become overly reactive.

This hypersensitivity causes it to misidentify harmless substances as dangerous, triggering an exaggerated inflammatory response. Years of immune suppression, whether from medications, antibiotics, steroid creams, or even repeated use of antihistamines, can worsen the issue.

Even lifestyle habits like using antiperspirants, synthetic cosmetics, air fresheners, Botox and other chemicals can overload the body with toxins and suppress normal detoxification routes. Over time, these stressors trigger the immune system to become more reactive.

Why are allergies on the rise?

Allergies are far more common today than they were a few decades ago. Modern lifestyles have created a perfect storm for immune dysfunction. Key contributing factors include:

Reduced exposure to microbes: Over-sanitised homes, less time outdoors, and fewer pets mean we’re missing out on important microbial exposures that train the immune system.

An unhealthy diet that is high in sugar, artificial additives and ultra-processed foods can fuel inflammation and weaken your immune resilience. 

Nutrient deficiencies: Low levels of vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, omega-3s and antioxidants impair the body’s ability to regulate inflammation and tolerate allergens. 

Toxin overload: We’re constantly exposed to environmental toxins like pesticides, plastics and air pollutants, as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals found in personal care products and cleaning agents – all of which put stress on the liver and immune system.

Overuse of antibiotics and medications, especially in early life, can suppress the development of a robust microbiome and immune system. Repeated symptom suppression through medications such as antihistamines, corticosteroids or antibiotics worsens the long-term picture by driving inflammation deeper into the body. This often leads to more allergies, candida, eczema, asthma and even chronic pain or autoimmune conditions.

Mode of birth and feeding: C-sections and formula feeding can alter microbial exposure, which plays a key role in the early development of the immune system. Reduced exposure to beneficial bacteria from vaginal birth or breastfeeding can impact how the immune system develops, potentially increasing the likelihood of allergies and other immune-related conditions.

The gut-allergy connection

You might not associate a blocked nose with your digestive system, but the link between gut health and allergies is huge. Around 70% of your immune system lives in your gut. When the gut lining becomes damaged, known as ‘leaky gut’, it can allow allergens, microbes and other inflammatory molecules to pass through the gut barrier and into the bloodstream. This can overwhelm the immune system, trigger widespread inflammation, and heighten allergic reactions throughout the body.

The gut microbiome (the trillions of bacteria living in your intestines) plays a central role too. When this delicate ecosystem becomes unbalanced (known as dysbiosis), it can lead to immune dysfunction and increased allergic sensitivity. Studies have linked gut dysbiosis to a rise in conditions like eczema, asthma, food allergies and hay fever.

Certain gut bacteria actually help train the immune system to tolerate harmless substances rather than attack them. If these beneficial bacteria are low, the immune system can become hyperreactive and more likely to misfire. A healthy, diverse microbiome helps regulate immune responses, reduce inflammation, and maintain the integrity of the gut lining – all key factors in keeping allergies under control.

Why allergies get worse with age

As people age, especially during perimenopause, allergies can worsen. This is particularly noticeable for women due to fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone levels, which regulate the immune system. As these hormones decline, immune responses can become erratic, leading to increased inflammation, histamine sensitivity, and even new allergies.

Oestrogen stimulates histamine release, and in turn, histamine can trigger more oestrogen, creating a feedback loop that may intensify symptoms. When the body struggles to break down histamine – due to gut issues, liver sluggishness or nutrient deficiencies – the situation worsens.

Progesterone, which helps calm the immune system, declines sharply during perimenopause, allowing histamine activity to become more pronounced. On top of this, higher stress levels, which also increase histamine, can make allergy symptoms harder to manage.

Are your allergies worse at night?

Ever feel like your allergies hit hardest just as you’re trying to relax and fall asleep? There are a few reasons why evenings can be prime time for symptoms to flare:

• Pollen builds up indoors during the day, especially if you’ve had the windows open or brought it in on your clothes, hair or shoes.
• Dust mites in your bedding can trigger sneezing, coughing or congestion the moment you lie down.
• Gravity works against you – lying flat causes mucous to pool in your sinuses, making that blocked nose even worse.
• Your cortisol levels naturally dip at night. Cortisol is your body’s built-in anti-inflammatory hormone, so when it’s low, allergy symptoms can feel more intense.

If bedtime allergies are ruining your wind-down routine, addressing your environment and supporting your body’s natural defences can make a big difference.

Naturopathic solutions for managing allergies

Allergies are a sign that your immune system is overwhelmed. The more you suppress symptoms with medication, the more you disrupt the body’s natural processes, leading to worse allergies and chronic inflammation.

A naturopathic approach looks at the whole picture, working to restore gut health, support detoxification and regulate the immune system naturally.

To truly address allergies, you need to heal from the inside out: repair the gut lining, rebalance the microbiome, reduce toxic load and calm the immune system. This is how you support your body in a sustainable, long-term way.

Want to know how to get started?

Download our free Natural Allergy Relief Guide which is packed with tips to help you reduce symptoms, strengthen your gut and bring your immune system back into balance. Inside the guide, you’ll also find links to our courses, where you can learn exactly how to support your body through nutrition, herbal medicine, lifestyle and naturopathic practices.