Do you have a stuffy nose and a dry throat? We all catch a cold at some point, and the symptoms can make one uncomfortable.
Sleeping with a cold can leave you restless and deprived of enough relaxation. When your body is resting, any health condition tends to worsen. Improving the quality of your sleep when you have a cold can make you feel better in the morning.
During rest, the body releases substances that fight infections in the body to prevent you from an illness. You should, therefore, prepare yourself to sleep enough when you have flu-like symptoms. Below are some of the tips you can use at night when you have a cold. Enjoy!
Alternatively, take some green tea or chamomile tea and add some honey which comes with soothing properties and healing effects. The mixture can also prevent you from coughing excessively in your sleep. Try gargling usingwarm water and salt before you sleep.
You should also ensure that you use soft pillows above your head. Allow your head to remain higher than the rest of the body so that the force of gravity can act upon the sinus pressure to help you breathe and feel better. Lying down without a pillow causes the buildup of postnasal drip which leads to a sore throat and cough.
Abstaining from the substance especially when you have a cold can help you sleep well. Also, do not take caffeinated drinks at night since they can make you stay awake for hours during the night.
Decongestants, for instance, can interfere with your sleep while antihistamine causes drowsiness. Ask for help from the pharmacists to help you get the right medication. If you have a sore throat and fever, you can consider a pain reliever which reduces your body temperature and increases comfort for you to sleep well.
Do not use this spray continuously for a lot of days since it can cause inflammation of the mucous membranes. Try using nasal strips to reduce congestion during sleep. Though they can open your nasal passage, they do not help with a runny nose.
Sleeping with a cold can leave you restless and deprived of enough relaxation. When your body is resting, any health condition tends to worsen. Improving the quality of your sleep when you have a cold can make you feel better in the morning.
During rest, the body releases substances that fight infections in the body to prevent you from an illness. You should, therefore, prepare yourself to sleep enough when you have flu-like symptoms. Below are some of the tips you can use at night when you have a cold. Enjoy!
- Use a humidifier
A cold can dry your air passage and make you develop a dry throat. You need to use a humidifier in your bedroom to increase moisture within the room so that you can sleep peacefully. The steam from the device can also relieve decongestion and soothe irritation in thenose. Ensure that you maintain it well by cleaning it from time to time so that bacteria and molds do not build up in your device.- Regulate the temperature
Though you may prefer to sleep in a cool room, you should raise the temperature when you have a cold. Do not let the thermostat to drop since you need the extra heat to prevent you from freezing at night. The less cold you feel during the night, the less you sneeze and cough. You also prevent your nose from running every time. Try to maintain temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees at night.- Take something hot in the evening
Before you sleep, you should consume some hot food or a drink so that it can loosen the accumulated mucus in the nose and prevent your nasal passage from drying out. You can choose to breathe the steam from boiling water or even hot soup or other drinks. Fluids also prevent you from dehydration thus easing decongestion.Alternatively, take some green tea or chamomile tea and add some honey which comes with soothing properties and healing effects. The mixture can also prevent you from coughing excessively in your sleep. Try gargling usingwarm water and salt before you sleep.
- Make your bed comfortable
Severe flu-like symptoms can cause sleep deprivation. You should, therefore, ensure that your bed is comfortable so that you can sleep for hours without turning. Get a comfortable mattress from Puffy mattress and enjoy your sleep. They sell the types that can regulate temperature to prevent you from sweating when you have a fever at night.You should also ensure that you use soft pillows above your head. Allow your head to remain higher than the rest of the body so that the force of gravity can act upon the sinus pressure to help you breathe and feel better. Lying down without a pillow causes the buildup of postnasal drip which leads to a sore throat and cough.
- Observe sleep hygiene
DO this by maintaining your sleep schedule so that you get enough sleep to help you recover from the cold fast. Do not stay up late at night before retiring to bed but instead, go to bed every day at the same time. Avoid conducting any stressful activities in your bedroom such as checking office emails or settling bills before bed. Try to relax before sleeping and eliminate any stressors that can disrupt your sleep.- Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is known to cause flu-like symptoms. Consuming it before bedtime when you already have flu can worsen the situation. Though the substance also causes drowsiness, it interferes with your sleep pattern and causes wakefulness at night. It can also cause swelling of the sinuses and lead to a dry throat.Abstaining from the substance especially when you have a cold can help you sleep well. Also, do not take caffeinated drinks at night since they can make you stay awake for hours during the night.
- Sleep Alone
If you are sneezing a lot, you don't want to spread the germs to your partner. It is advisable that you sleep alone for some few days so that you don't also disrupt their sleep by coughing or blowing your nose. Consider leaving the bed for your partner and resting in a hammock. It will help you relax and maintain a good sleep position to relieve the symptoms.- Try medication
You can purchase flu medications from a chemist. Most of them treat various conditions at the same time such as fever, cough, congestion, runny nose and aches. Ensure that you get the right type matching your symptoms.Decongestants, for instance, can interfere with your sleep while antihistamine causes drowsiness. Ask for help from the pharmacists to help you get the right medication. If you have a sore throat and fever, you can consider a pain reliever which reduces your body temperature and increases comfort for you to sleep well.
- Shower before sleeping
A warm shower before sleeping improves your breathing due to the hot steam. It also allows your body muscles to relax and relieves fatigue to boost the quality of your sleep. You can also conduct some warm compress over the sinuses.- Use a decongestant spray
Sometimes, flu makes it hard to breathe through the nose. Breathing through your mouth when asleep increases the dryness in your throat. A decongestant spray can open the nasal passage or nasal system and reduce the stuffiness so that you don't struggle to breathe through the nose anymore.Do not use this spray continuously for a lot of days since it can cause inflammation of the mucous membranes. Try using nasal strips to reduce congestion during sleep. Though they can open your nasal passage, they do not help with a runny nose.
- Consider essential oils
Some essential oils are natural remedies of relieving cold. For instance, chamomile and lavender can reduce flu-like symptoms and also help you relax during sleep. You can add essential oils to some water and spray the mixture on your pillow before sleeping.
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