Soothing a Serious Cough for Better Sleep | Cold & Flu Relief

Getting Relief from Nagging Coughs for Better Rest

When you're battling the misery of a bad cold or flu, getting adequate rest is essential to recovering quickly. But coughing fits can make settling into sleep incredibly difficult. Rather than tossing and turning all night, try these soothing solutions to quiet coughs and finally get some relief.

Causes of Cold & Flu Coughing at Night

Why do colds and flu tend to bring on coughing spells that keep you from dozing off? A few key factors are at play:

• Drainage dripping down the back of your throat
• Inflammation from infections irritating airways
• Reclined position making coughs worse
• Inability to suppress cough reflex while sleeping

While coughing helps clear mucus to some extent, the end result is often disruptive, sleepless nights. But with the right relief remedies, you can minimize coughing fits to ensure restful sleep your body desperately requires.

Home Remedies to Soothe Nighttime Coughing

Skip endless nights of cough-induced insomnia by arming your medicine cabinet with these soothing solutions:

1. Humidifiers

Illnesses like colds and flu can dry out nasal passages, making you more likely to develop coughs. Running a cool mist humidifier helps replenish moisture to your sinuses, keeping airways lubricated. This prevents scratchy throats and reduces cough triggers.

2. Throat Lozenges

Allowing cough drop or throat lozenges to slowly dissolve can coat an irritated throat with soothing ingredients like honey, menthol and eucalyptus. This helps minimize tickles and discomfort in the back of your throat to prevent coughing fits.

3. Honey

A teaspoon of honey can work wonders to reduce nighttime coughs thanks to its rich antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. It forms a protective film over the throat for relief. For ages 6 and up, mix a teaspoon of honey into a glass of warm milk or water before bed to prevent cough flare ups.

4. Steam Showers

Inhaling steam infused with menthol, peppermint or eucalyptus helps open up nasal passages and thins out mucus. By clearing congestion and reducing excess phlegm, steam makes coughs much more productive and less frequent. Enjoy a long shower or lean over a steam bowl before getting into bed.

5. Nasal Strips

Specialized nasal strips and dilators can help open nasal airways to promote better breathing at night. This minimizes mouth breathing that leads to dry, irritated throats. By allowing unobstructed airflow, throat cough triggers are reduced for restful sleep.

6. Sleep Inclines

Propping yourself up on a stack of pillows or adjustable sleep incline helps prevent post-nasal drip from pooling in the back of your throat. Keeping your head elevated allows mucus to drain properly rather than sit and trigger coughing. Wake up well rested instead of to fitful coughing spells.

7. Marshmallow Root Tea

The mucilage in marshmallow root make a soothing, anti-inflammatory tea perfect for coating and protecting sore throats. Sipping this sweet, herbal concoction 30 minutes before bedtime can minimize midnight cough flare ups. Its hydrating properties keep airways lubricated for relief.

8. Peppermint Essential Oil

Diluted peppermint oil can work wonders to open sinuses, thin mucus, and reduce inflammation that triggers coughing. For best results, add several drops to a diffuser by your bedside. Inhale the relaxing, cooling vapor as you dose off to suppress cough symptoms.

Expectorants for Productive Cough Relief

While cough suppressants may seem like the obvious solution for hacking coughs at night, they often prove counterproductive. Instead of just masking your cough, use expectorants to loosen mucus and make coughs more productive. This leads to actual symptom relief rather than just temporary effects.

Some of the most effective OTC expectorant options include:

• Guaifenesin - Loosens chest congestion so phlegm is easier to expel
• Dextromethorphan - Reduces urge to cough allowing more restful sleep
• Mucinex - Extended release tablets relieve coughs for up to 12 hours
• Robitussin - Specifically formulated for nighttime to minimize middle of the night coughing

Discuss adding one of these productive cough fighters to your regimen with your pharmacists or doctor for blessings sleep despite stubborn congestion.

When to See a Doctor for Severe Coughs

While home relief strategies can help quiet most cold and flu related cough symptoms, more severe or persistent cases may warrant medical attention. Seek urgent care if you experience:

• Cough lasts longer than 10 days
• Face pain or headaches from forceful coughs
• Shortness of breath or wheezing
• Fever over 101F
• Cough produces blood or yellow/green mucus

Prolonged, severe coughs could indicate a secondary infection like pneumonia rather than just a virus. Only a doctor can diagnose the underlying cause and prescribe antibiotics or other treatments to address serious coughing and complications preventing good sleep.

The Link Between Coughs and Insomnia

Between the misery of symptoms like sore throats and stuffy noses, getting ample rest while sick can prove incredibly challenging. But perhaps one of the biggest barriers to quality sleep during a cold or flu is incessant coughing.

Not only do coughing fits prevent quick dozing off, but they also continually disrupt sleep throughout the night. The result is tossing and turning despite utter exhaustion. Understanding the mechanisms behind this relationship is key to finding effective relief.

How Coughs Disrupt Sleep Cycles

Even if you successfully manage to nod off initially, coughing has a way of interfering with your sleep architecture. This refers to the cyclical stages of sleep your body requires:

• Light sleep - Transitional first stage
• Deep sleep - Restorative slow-wave sleep
• REM sleep - Dream state crucial for memory consolidation

Ideally you would progress through 4-5 sleep cycles per night. But coughing abruptly brings you back into light sleep, rarely reaching reparative deep and REM stages the body needs to heal.

Impacts of Lost Sleep

When a cough robs you of quality sleep night after night, detrimental effects quickly pile up including:

• Fatigue making symptoms feel worse
• Run down, weakened immune response
• Inability to recover as quickly
• Greater risk for complications like pneumonia

As difficult as it may be, your best bet is to utilize every remedy at your disposal to minimize coughing and finally get some uninterrupted rest. This allows your body's natural healing processes to kick in faster.

Regaining Lost Sleep to Get Better Faster

Don't resign yourself to perpetually broken sleep just because you have the misfortune of coming down with a miserable cold or flu bug this season. Arm yourself with the most effective cough remedies to minimize throat irritation and quiet coughs.

As cough symptoms improve and you are able to sleep through the night again relatively cough-free, you can aim to regain some of the restorative sleep you missed out on while sick. Some strategies include:

• Taking one or two much needed naps
• Going to bed 30-60 minutes early
• Sleeping in on weekends if possible
• Avoiding alcohol before bed as this reduces sleep quality

Rebound sleep helps your mind and body compensate for those rough, sleepless nights. Support your recovery by squeezing in extra rest once irritating coughs subside.

Natural Cough Remedies for Kids

It's no secret kids tend to have difficulty falling and staying asleep even under normal circumstances. Coming down with a bad cold or flu bug makes peaceful slumber feel nearly impossible.

While over-the-counter medications aimed at adults can help minimize coughs, parents tend to have some reservations about giving these to children. Fortunately, some natural relief options are up to the task.

Safe and Soothing Syrups

Rather than artificial cough drops and sprays, look to natural soothing syrups to coat kids' tender throats for relief without the worry. Safe, gentle formulas include:

• Honey lemon syrup - Antimicrobial honey mixed with vitamin C-rich lemon and warm water
• Licorice root syrup - Naturally soothing anti-inflammatory properties
• Marshmallow root syrup - The mucilage coats and protects sore irritated throats
• Thyme syrup - Antiseptic properties calm coughs and help kids sleep

Dosing guidelines based on age are provided to ensure safe, effective relief. Look for organic herbal options with minimal added sugars or artificial ingredients from quality brands.

Chest Rubs and Balms

Gentle aromatic chest rubs provide soothing vapors as well as topical relief from coughing. Natural options include:

• Coconut oil infused with thyme, eucalyptus or mint essential oils for aroma therapy benefits
• Soothing menthol and camphor balms that minimize throat tickles to reduce coughing
• Mustard seed chest rubs to gently relax muscles and clear congestion

Apply diluted oils or ointments sparingly to children's chests and upper backs as directed for relief they'll breathe in all night long.

Humidity and Hydration

As with adult cold and flu remedies, two keys to quieting kids' coughs are keeping nasal passages moist with humidity and ensuring proper hydration. Tactics include:

• Running a cool mist humidifier in their bedroom throughout the night
• Giving small frequent sips of water to avoid choking from coughing
• Serving warm honey lemon tea and soothing hot soups to encourage fluid intake
• Popsicles or ice chips for additional hydration

Fever relief such as lukewarm baths and keeping kids comfortable with their heads elevated on pillows also helps everyone rest easy. While most kids bounce back quickly when colds and flu strike, don't resign the whole family to sleepless nights thanks to hacking coughs. Count on natural relief solutions to restore peaceful slumber.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.