You can’t see dust mites, but they cause a world of misery for millions of people with allergies. Dust mite allergy is the most common year-round allergy in the world, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

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As Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Audrey Hepburn puffed on an elegant black cigarette holder. James Dean projected a rebellious tough-guy image, photographed with an ashy cigarette butt hanging precariously from his lower lip. But steadily since then, tobacco smoke has been undergoing a richly deserved vilification. Let’s do the numbers.

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What steps can you take today to breathe better tomorrow? Start by focusing on your bedroom, where you probably spend the longest unbroken stretches of time each day. From limiting animal dander to blocking the dust mites that thrive in your warm, humid bed, you can work toward an allergy-proof bedroom. Here’s what to do:

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When Hurricane Floyd hit the Carolina coast in September 1999, locals contended with flooded basements and mud-filled living rooms. For some unlucky folks, the storm’s aftermath also brought sneezing, chest congestion, and difficulty breathing. All that standing floodwater in damp, humid homes had created the ideal environment for mold, a common allergen. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) issued a bulletin to North Carolina residents, warning of sky-high mold spore counts that could last well into December of that year.

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Are you stressed out? In our increasingly fast-paced culture, it’s hard not to feel pressured now and then. Stress can make you tired, irritable, and overwhelmed, but the negative health effects don’t stop there. Chronic stress can put you at a greater risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. And if you already have a medical condition, stress can worsen your symptoms. Over 40% of Americans have stress-related health problems, according to the American Psychological Association.

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Imagine one place where you always could breathe freely. Some might think of the Colorado Rockies, but those with nighttime asthma episodes might choose someplace closer to home, namely, the bedroom. Once you and your health care provider have pinpointed the allergens and irritants that trigger your asthma episodes, especially nighttime episodes, the bedroom is the best place to get started with environmental control.

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Spring: the sun emerges from hibernation, green shoots of grass appear in the winter-browned fields, brilliantly colored flowers finally open their buds. And about 10% of Americans stock up on over-the-counter antihistamines to treat their springtime allergy symptoms — watery and itchy eyes, coughing, runny noses, sneezing, and general misery.

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How healthy is your home?

Before answering that question, make a mental picture of your utility closet, or the cabinet under the kitchen sink. There are probably a few old dishrags, some all-purpose cleanser, maybe a can of roach killer. And if you own a car, you’re likely to have a container of antifreeze and transmission fluid sharing a shelf with the extra can of gasoline. The fact is, if you’re like most people, your home is chock-full of toxic household chemicals.

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From pollen spores to dust mites, an invisible army of allergens is lurking in your plush wall-to-wall. While a simple footfall can send these potent allergens airborne, the updraft they crave most may be the one you least expect: your vacuum cleaner exhaust.

Logic says that vacuuming your carpet should remove airborne allergens from your home. Problem is, many allergy-provoking particles are as invisible to your vacuum cleaner as they are to you. Why? Because microscopic allergens escape the average vacuum cleaner through the exhaust and blow back into the air you breathe.

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American shoppers have access to an array of herbal supplements and over-the-counter medications that ease mild stress, anxiety, and sleep problems. But there’s an alternative — without a price tag. Studies show that the way you breathe can affect stress levels, sleep patterns, and mental and emotional balance. Shallow breathing can worsen these health conditions, while deep breathing may improve them. According to the medical journal Respiration, deep breathing techniques may help reduce high blood pressure and ease anxiety in asthma patients. Try these breathing techniques for general health, relaxation, and headache relief.

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