Nighttime Cough Relief for Better Sleep

Sleep is essential to being productive and feeling good during the day. A nighttime cough can keep you up and leave you irritable, tired and not feeling well the next day. We’re here to help, with some simple things you can do to relieve your cough at night, whether or not you take nighttime cold and cough medicine.

Here are a few tips to relieve your cough at night:

Sleep with an extra pillow under your head.

Lying down flat or nearly flat can increase your urge to cough. Sleep with the top half of your body somewhat upright. Use an extra pillow under your head or, if you have an adjustable bed, raise your mattress at the head end to where you feel comfortable.

Use a humidifier or vaporizer.

Especially in winter when your heat is on, the air in the bedroom can become hot and dry. This can irritate your airways and trigger coughing. A humidifier will add moisture to the air in your bedroom by creating mist from cool, warm or room temperature water. A vaporizer heats water and sends warm steam out to moisturize the bedroom air. Be sure to follow the usage and placement direction to use safely, especially if using hot or warm water.

Gargle with warm salt water before bedtime.

Before you go to bed, gargle with warm salt water to help clear mucus from the back of your throat. All you have to do is add a half teaspoon of table salt to a small glass of warm water, stir so it dissolves, and then gargle with it in the back of your throat for a few seconds and spit it out. Repeat until you’re finished with that glass.

Drink tea with honey.

Before bed, drink non-caffeinated hot tea with honey. Choose a light herbal tea like chamomile, which offers a calming effect. Drinking something warm helps break up mucus and clear it from your airways so you’re less congested heading into bed.

Decrease allergens in your bedroom.

One more thing that will help you sleep is to decrease allergens and potential irritants in your bedroom. Remove dust as often as possible, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter for the carpets. Do not let your pets sleep in bed with you. Shower before going to bed to remove allergens from your hair and body. And do not use any scented air fresheners in the bedroom, especially when you are sick.