Stop Coughing, Start Sleeping: A Guide To Restful Nights

A good night's sleep can be hard to come by when you have a cough. Coughing is a natural reflex that helps to clear mucus from our airways, but it can be frustrating when it keeps us awake. There are several reasons why coughing tends to be worse at night, including our sleeping position, the quality of air in our bedroom, and exposure to irritants in our environment. Luckily, there are also plenty of remedies to help you get a good night's rest.

Elevate your head and neck

Elevating your head and neck while sleeping can help prevent mucus from accumulating in your throat and triggering a cough. This is especially helpful if you have a cold or congestion.

To elevate your head and neck, you can use a couple of extra pillows or a wedge pillow to lift your head and neck slightly. Avoid elevating your head too much, as this could lead to neck pain and discomfort. You can also try sleeping on your side, which may help the mucus drip out instead of dripping back into your throat.

If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), elevating your head and neck while sleeping can also help prevent the reflux from getting worse and reduce coughing. For GERD, it is recommended to elevate the head of your bed by 4-6 inches, which can be done using bricks or blocks.

Try a lozenge, honey, or a warm drink

Honey, lozenges, and warm drinks can be effective ways to soothe your throat and suppress your cough.

Honey has been proven to be an effective remedy for relieving cough symptoms. A 2013 study found that 1.5 teaspoons of honey at bedtime helped coughing children sleep more soundly. Similarly, a 2018 review found that honey was more or equally effective as over-the-counter cough medications. However, it is important to note that honey should not be given to children under one year old due to the risk of botulism. For adults, adding a bit of honey to your tea can be a helpful way to soothe your throat.

Throat lozenges can also be an effective way to suppress your cough. They often contain ingredients like menthol or eucalyptus oil, which act as temporary cough suppressants. However, it is important to finish the lozenge before lying down to avoid choking on it, and they should not be given to young children as they can pose a choking hazard.

Drinking warm beverages like tea can also help calm and soothe a cough. Warm water with honey and lemon, herbal teas, and broths are all good options. These drinks can help soothe an irritated throat and loosen mucus. Similar to honey, be sure to finish drinking any warm beverage at least an hour before bedtime to avoid disrupting your sleep with bathroom trips.

Use a humidifier

If you're struggling with a cough that's keeping you up at night, you may benefit from using a humidifier. A humidifier can help to keep the air in your room and throat moist, which can be especially useful if you're dealing with a dry cough.

When using a humidifier, it's important to maintain the humidity in your room at the recommended level of between 40% and 50%. This is because a house that is too humid can aggravate airway symptoms for some people. To ensure you're staying within the recommended range, you can use a hygrometer to measure the exact level of moisture in the air.

If you don't have a humidifier, a hot shower before bed can work in a similar way to a humidifier by helping to moisten the air and clear your airways.

It's also worth noting that, in addition to using a humidifier, you can try other remedies to help you sleep with a cough. For example, you can try sleeping with your head elevated, taking cough medicine, or drinking warm liquids.

Take an antihistamine or decongestant

If you're struggling to sleep because of a cough, you might want to consider taking an antihistamine or decongestant. Both are available over the counter and can help to alleviate your symptoms.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines work by blocking a chemical called histamine that your body produces when you have a cold. Histamine causes the tissues in your nose to itch and swell, leading to a runny nose and sneezing. While histamine is not the main cause of a runny nose when you have a cold, some older antihistamines, such as brompheniramine and chlorpheniramine, can bring relief. Newer antihistamines like fexofenadine (Allegra) and loratadine (Claritin) have not been proven to work for cold symptoms.

The main side effect of antihistamines is drowsiness, which is why they are often included in nighttime cold medicines. Other side effects include dry mouth, dizziness, and headaches.

Decongestants

Decongestants help to reduce swelling in the passageways of your nose, relieving the feeling of pressure and improving airflow. They come in pill form or as nasal sprays. If you use a nasal spray, don't use it for more than three days, or your congestion may get worse.

Decongestants may keep you awake, so they are usually taken during the day. They can also raise your blood pressure, so if you already have high blood pressure or heart disease, consult your doctor before using them.

Some common over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants include:

• Benadryl
• Chlor-Trimeton
• Dimetane
• Tavist
• Afrin
• Neo-Synephrine
• Dristan NasalSpray

Change your sleeping position

Changing your sleeping position can help to alleviate a cough and improve your sleep.

Lying flat on your back can cause mucus to accumulate in your throat, triggering a cough. To avoid this, try to keep your head and neck elevated. You can do this by stacking a couple of pillows or using a wedge pillow to lift your head and neck slightly. Avoid elevating your head too much, as this could cause neck pain and discomfort. You can also try sleeping on your side, which may allow the mucus to drip out instead of running down your throat.

If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), one of the easiest remedies is to raise the head of your bed by 4-6 inches. This can be achieved by using bricks or blocks to elevate the head of the bed, or by sleeping on a wedge pillow.

For a dry cough, sleeping on your side instead of your back can help to minimise irritation.

Frequently asked questions