Author: Luba Lee / Source: wikiHow
A nagging cough can make it really difficult to fall asleep at night. If you can manage to get rid of the cough, your problem will likely be solved. However, if you have a cough that simply refuses to be suppressed, there are measures you can take—like keeping your breathing passages moist, elevating your head, and creating a good sleep environment—that can help you overcome the hacking and get some decent shut-eye.
- 1 Drink water during the day to stay hydrated at night. Dry breathing passages get irritated more easily, which results in more frequent and/or more powerful coughing. Drinking water throughout the day to keep your body hydrated will help your throat and nasal tissue to stay moist during the night.[1]
- Take extra care to stay hydrated if you are also experiencing a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, since these all dehydrate your body.
- It’s best to spread out your water consumption throughout the day rather than to have 1 or 2 big glasses of water right before bed—otherwise you’ll probably have to get up to use the bathroom!
- Drink warm or hot water to help hydrate your body and loosen up the mucus in your lungs for a speedier recovery.
- 2 Take a steamy shower or bath to wind down at the end of the day. Steam helps to soothe irritated tissue and open and moisturize your breathing passages. This means you’ll breathe more easily as you head off to bed, and may cough less frequently as well.[2]
- A warm bath or shower can also be a calming ritual that helps prepare your body for rest. Try making it part of your nightly routine that tells your body it’s time to sleep!
- 3 Enjoy hot tea with honey before bedtime. Like the steam from a bath or shower, a steaming-hot cup of tea will help moisturize, expand, and soothe your breathing passages. Choose an herbal or decaf tea, since caffeine makes it harder to fall asleep.[3]
- A nice cup of tea can also be mentally calming before bedtime.
- Honey coats and soothes your breathing passages, and has antibacterial properties that may be beneficial as well.[4]
- 4 Turn on a humidifier in your bedroom. The humidifier adds moisture to the surrounding air, which will in turn hydrate your nasal tissue and throat as you breathe. Even when you don’t have a cough, you’ll probably find it easier to sleep if the air is moister.[5]
- For most people, a relative humidity level of about 50% is ideal for sleeping. So, you’re more likely to need a humidifier on a winter night than a sticky summer evening.[6]
- Make sure you clean your humidifier properly and regularly to prevent bacteria buildup. Otherwise, it may cause a cough (and illness) instead of helping with it!
- 1 Prop your head up under more pillows to aid mucus drainage. When you lie down, mucus tends to build up in the back of your throat, contributing to the “tickle” that makes you cough in order to clear the airway. If you prop your head up higher than normal with additional pillows, more of this mucus will drain down into your stomach instead of collecting in your throat.[7]
- Stack the pillows so that your neck and upper body are supported as well, instead of leaving your neck bent at an awkward angle. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a stiff neck and a cough, which isn’t a fun combination!
- 2 Make sure your…
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