The holiday season is upon us, and many Minnesotans have already trekked to the tree farm to bring home that beautiful Douglas Fir. Putting up a Christmas tree in the home is tradition for many families this time of year, but if you suffer from allergies or asthma attacks more frequently this month, that Christmas tree may be to blame. You may be suffering from Christmas Tree Syndrome.
Christmas Tree Syndrome can be caused by the tree itself, if you have an allergy to pine, or from mold that begins to grow on the tree when it goes from a cold climate to the warm climate of your living room. Research published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology discovered the mold that naturally grows on trees can expand at a rapid rate once you bring the tree indoors. Researchers noticed that the number of airborne mold spores increased from about 800 per 35 cubic feet to 5,000 per 35 cubic feet over the course of 14 days.
The mold spores can cause of range of symptoms, including:
- Coughing or wheezing
- Itchy nose
- Watery eyes
- General fatigue
- Sleep problems
Despite the increase of mold spores in your home, lead researcher Dr. Lawrence Kurlandsky said you’ll generally only notice symptoms if you have allergy sensitivities.
“If you and your children don’t have any obvious allergies, then it is probably not going to bother you.”
3 Tips To Avoid Christmas Tree Syndrome
Here are three tips to consider to reduce you likelihood of coming down with Christmas Tree Syndrome this year.
1. Limit Tree Time – Mold continues to grow over time, so if you are one of those families who gets a tree the day after Thanksgiving and keeps it up through the New Year, you are more susceptible to CTS. Get your tree in early- to mid-December, and toss it on the 26th.
2. Consider an Air Purifier – Invest in an air purifier to help cleanse the air around your tree. Keep it near your tree throughout the holiday season.
3. Ditch The Real Tree – Not only will you save yourself the trip to the tree farm, but you won’t be bringing those mold spores into your home. You’ll want to clean your artificial tree each year though, as those too can collect dust and mold if stored for long periods.
