A sudden increase in headaches, sneezing, and coughing right as the temperatures warm can only mean one thing—it’s allergy season again. Though the milder summer temperatures make most of us want to head outside for fun outings, it’s important to avoid having your plans ruined by an unexpected onset of allergy symptoms. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to improve your allergies this summer and still enjoy plenty of time in the great outdoors.

Watch for High Pollen Count Days

If you know when to expect something to trigger your allergies, you’ll have an easier time avoiding unwanted symptoms. Watch your local weather reports or download an app that tracks the daily pollen count to stay informed. This way, you can plan your excursions for days when you’re least likely to experience symptoms.

Take Precautions Outdoors and Indoors

Another crucial way to improve your allergies this summer is to avoid transferring pollen between your home and the outdoors. If it’s impossible to stay indoors on a high-pollen day, wear a mask while outside so that you’re not breathing in allergens. Then, once you’re inside, change clothes and take a shower to reduce the chances of introducing outdoor pollen into your home.

That said, some allergens will manage to get inside your home anyway, especially if you have a pet who goes outside. Even if your beloved animal stays indoors, pet hair and dander can make it harder to deal with seasonal allergies. Getting (and remembering to change) a high-quality air filter can drastically improve your indoor air quality with pets at home.

Try Over-the-Counter Medications

Sometimes you can only tackle allergy symptoms by using multiple methods at once. If you find that your other strategies aren’t working, it might be time to try an over-the-counter medication to help fight off symptoms. There are a wide variety of choices available, most of them in the form of oral medications or nasal sprays. Check with your doctor to see which option is best for you.

Fortunately for allergy sufferers, there are several ways to deal with allergy season and still get to spend time with friends and family doing all the activities you love. If you find that these tricks aren’t enough to keep your symptoms at bay, it never hurts to check with a healthcare provider and see if there are prescription medications that can help. Summer is the season of outdoor adventure, and no one should have to miss out.