Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: Allergies were once thought of as seasonal annoyances. Today, they are becoming year-round companions for many young people. Sneezing fits, wheezing, skin rashes, food sensitivities, and unexplained coughs are showing up earlier in life—and persisting longer than before. Doctors say that in pulmonary clinics, it’s increasingly common to hear patients say, “No one in my family has allergies.” Yet their symptoms are real, recurring, and often worsening. The reasons lie less in genetics and more in how our environments and lifestyles have changed.
In an interaction with Dr Manjunath PH, Consultant - Interventional Pulmonologist, Gleneagles BGS Hospital, Kengeri, Bengaluru, explained how younger people are more prone to infections than others.
The immune system develops by learning what to react to—and what to ignore. Earlier generations grew up exposed to soil, animals, microbes and outdoor play. These exposures helped train immune tolerance. Today’s children and young adults grow up in far more controlled environments:
While hygiene prevents infections, too little exposure can leave the immune system overreactive, mistaking harmless substances like pollen or dust for threats.
Pollution and the allergic airway
Air pollution has a direct impact on respiratory health. Fine particles, vehicle emissions and industrial pollutants irritate the airway lining and make it more sensitive.
Pollutants also allow allergens like pollen to penetrate deeper into the airways, worsening asthma and allergic rhinitis in younger populations.
Indoor living and trapped allergens
Modern life is increasingly indoors. Air-conditioned homes, closed windows, synthetic furnishings and limited ventilation trap allergens such as dust mites, mould spores and pet dander.
Spending long hours indoors leads to constant, low-grade irritation of the airways, with very few allergy-free breaks. Over time, this ongoing exposure increases sensitisation and makes allergic responses more likely. What often feels comfortable can quietly contribute to the development of allergic disease. At the same time, what people eat has changed quite a bit. Diets built around packaged and processed foods have slowly reshaped gut health, which in turn affects how the immune system behaves.
Reduced fibre intake and frequent consumption of processed foods may:
Stress and sleep disruption
Chronic stress and poor sleep affect immune balance. Elevated stress hormones can amplify inflammatory responses, while sleep deprivation weakens immune regulation. A lot of younger patients don’t have anything “wrong” on paper, but their routines are all over the place—late nights, constant screens, pressure that never really switches off. Over time, the body stays a bit keyed up. Airways react more easily, allergies linger, and things don’t settle the way they should. Rest is usually the missing piece.
Why allergies feel more severe today
Allergies aren’t just more common—they often feel stronger. Earlier diagnosis, better awareness, and longer exposure periods mean symptoms are recognised and persist across more years. Untreated allergies can progress into asthma or chronic respiratory issues if ignored.
What can help reduce allergy burden?
While allergies can’t always be prevented, their impact can be reduced.
Allergy control isn’t about drastic measures. Fresh air, outdoor time, better sleep, early treatment, and cautious antibiotic use can steadily strengthen how the immune system responds.
The takeaway
Younger generations aren’t weaker—they’re responding to a different world. Pollution, indoor lifestyles, dietary shifts and stress have reshaped how immune systems behave. Understanding this shift allows earlier intervention, better symptom control, and healthier lungs over the long term. Allergies may be common, but they don’t have to define daily life.
