A night cough can be quite annoying for those who sleep next to you and can keep everyone awake during the night. In some cases it is a symptom of some respiratory problem, such as colds, bronchitis, whooping cough, pneumonia, congestive heart failure, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux. If your cough persists for a week or more, you need to see a doctor. Often, however, this disorder is indicative of the presence of allergies or congestion of the airways and it is advisable to find remedies promptly.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Change Your Sleep Habits
Step 1. Sleep in a reclined position
Support your torso with pillows before you go to sleep and try to rest on more than one pillow. Doing so prevents the mucus and nasopharyngeal drips you ingest during the day from returning to your throat when you are lying down at night.
- Optionally, you can also put wooden blocks under the legs of the headboard to raise it 10 cm. This tilt helps you retain acids in your stomach so they don't irritate your throat.
- If you can, avoid sleeping on your back, as breathing is more difficult in this position and may cause coughing.
- Sleeping in a reclining position, perhaps with the support of some pillows, is the best way to avoid coughing caused by congestive heart failure. The fluid accumulates in the lower part of the lungs and does not affect breathing.
Step 2. Take a hot bath or shower before bed
Dry airways can aggravate nocturnal cough. Thus, it is a good idea to soak in the steam room and absorb the humidity from the room before bed.
If you have asthma, the steam can make your cough worse. Therefore, do not implement this remedy if you suffer from this disorder
Step 3. Do not sleep near a fan, convector or under the air conditioning
The cold air on your face at night only aggravates your problem. Move the bed so that it is not directly under the split or near the convector. During the night, if you keep the fan on, place it opposite the bed.
Step 4. Turn on a humidifier in the room
This device makes the air a little more humid, rather than dry: the humidity helps you to clear the airways and allows better air circulation, reducing the risk of coughing.
The humidity level in the room shouldn't exceed 40 or 50%, because dust mites and mold thrive if the air is too humid. To measure the humidity in your home, buy a hygrometer at a hardware store or home improvement store
Step 5. Wash your bedding at least once a week
If you have a persistent night cough and are prone to allergies (or have asthma), you need to make sure your bed is always clean. Dust mites, tiny creatures that eat dead skin residue, live between the sheets and are the main cause of allergies. Make sure you wash your laundry often and use a bedspread over the sheets.
- Wash all bedding, from sheets to pillow cases and even duvet covers or quilts in hot water at least once a week.
- You can also consider wrapping the mattress in a plastic cover to keep mites away and keep the bedding clean.
Step 6. Keep a glass of water on the nightstand
This way, if you wake up from a cough during the night, you can clear your throat by taking a long sip of water.
Step 7. Try to breathe through your nose when you sleep
Before you go to bed, think about this saying: "The nose to breathe, the mouth to eat." Try to practice breathing through your nose overnight by doing several sessions of mindful inhalation. This method allows you to reduce the tension on your throat in the hope of coughing less.
- Sit in a comfortable, upright position.
- Relax your upper body and close your mouth. Keep your tongue relaxed behind your lower jaw teeth, away from the roof of your mouth.
- Place your hands on your diaphragm or lower abdomen. You should breathe with your diaphragm and not your chest. It is important to learn to breathe in this way, because it improves the gas exchange that occurs in the lungs and at the same time the movement massages the liver, stomach and intestines promoting the expulsion of toxins from the organs. It is also a way to relax the upper body area.
- Take a deep breath with your nose and inhale for 2-3 seconds.
- Exhale through your nose for 3-4 seconds. Pause for about 2-3 seconds and continue to breathe through your nose.
- Get used to this type of breathing by exercising on several occasions. By gradually increasing these sessions, you help the body breathe more and more through the nose rather than the mouth.
Method 2 of 3: Taking Medication
Step 1. Take non-prescription cough medications
These types of medicines can help you in two ways:
- Expectorants, such as Mucosolvan, help dissolve the mucus and phlegm present in the throat and airways.
- Cough suppressants help the body block the cough reflex and reduce the urgent need to cough.
- You can also take sedatives to help calm coughs or apply Vick's VaporRub to your chest before going to bed. Both of these medications are known for their ability to reduce coughing at night.
- Always read the leaflet before taking a drug. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist for advice on buying the over-the-counter medicine that best suits your type of cough.
Step 2. Eat some balsamic candies
Some of these candies, available in pharmacies, contain substances that numb the throat, such as benzocaine, to calm and reduce coughing, so they will help you fall asleep.
Step 3. See your doctor if your cough doesn't go away after a week
If you find that the ailment is getting worse, despite several treatments or remedies and after 7 days of treatment, you must see your doctor. In this case the cough could be caused by taking ACE inhibitors, or it could be a symptom of another pathology, such as asthma, the common cold, gastroesophageal reflux, flu, bronchitis, whooping cough, pneumonia or even cancer. If you have a high fever and a chronic night cough, go to the emergency room.
- Diagnosis of chronic cough begins with a medical examination and a family history survey. Your doctor may order an x-ray to rule out underlying conditions, as well as specific tests for asthma and gastroesophageal reflux.
- Based on the diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe a decongestant or some more effective drug therapy. If you already have other, more serious health problems that are causing you to cough at night, such as asthma or a persistent flu, tell your doctor about the specific medications you are taking to treat these symptoms. He may prescribe something containing dextromethorphan, morphine, guaifenesin, or gabapentin.
- Tell your doctor if you are taking ACE inhibitors, as they may cause coughing as a side effect.
- Some types of cough, especially if they are persistent and chronic, can be a sign of more serious illness, such as heart disease or lung cancer. However, these conditions usually also manifest other more pronounced symptoms, such as blood in the sputum, or are anticipated by other episodes of heart problems.
Method 3 of 3: Using Natural Remedies
Step 1. Eat a spoonful of honey before bedtime
Honey is an excellent natural remedy for sore throat, because it coats the mucous membranes and soothes them. It also has antibacterial properties, thanks to the enzymes added by bees. So, if your cough is caused by a bacterial infection, honey helps fight germs.
- Take a tablespoon of pure, organic honey 1-3 times during the day and before bed. If you wish, you can also dissolve it in a cup of hot water with lemon to drink before going to bed.
- It is recommended to give children a teaspoon of honey 1-3 times a day and at bedtime.
- Never give honey to children under the age of two, as there is a risk of botulism, a serious bacterial infection.
Step 2. Drink licorice root tea
This plant is a natural decongestant that soothes the airways and loosens the mucus present in the throat. It also gives relief from inflammation.
- Look for dried licorice root at health food stores or health food stores. You can also buy it in the form of sachets in the "infusions" department of the best supermarkets.
- Make an infusion by placing the licorice root in boiling water for 10-15 minutes or according to the instructions on the sachet. Cover the herbal tea during the brewing time to retain the steam and beneficial oils. Drink it 1-2 times a day and before bedtime.
- This licorice-based remedy is not suitable for those who are taking steroids or have kidney problems.
Step 3. Gargle with salt water
Salt water is able to soothe the discomfort and discomfort of the throat, freeing it from mucus. If you are congested and have a cough, saltwater gargle can help loosen phlegm from the airways.
- Mix one teaspoon of salt in 240ml of hot water to dissolve it completely.
- Gargle with this solution for 15 seconds, being careful not to swallow it.
- Spit the water into the sink and repeat with the remaining salt water.
- When finished, rinse your mouth with tap water.
Step 4. Make fumigations with water and natural oils
Steam is a great remedy that allows the throat and nasal passages to absorb moisture and prevent dry cough. Add essential oils, such as tea tree and eucalyptus oils for an antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effect.
- Boil enough water to fill a medium-sized, heat-resistant bowl. Pour the water into the bowl and let it cool for 30-60 seconds.
- Add 3 drops of tea tree oil and 1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil. Stir quickly to release the vapors.
- Place your face over the bowl and try to get as close to the steam as possible. Don't overdo it, though, or you could burn yourself. Cover your face and bowl by placing a clean towel over your head, like a curtain, to retain the steam. Stay in this position by breathing deeply for 5-10 minutes. You should practice this remedy 2-3 times a day.
- Alternatively, you can also rub essential oils on your or your baby's chest to prevent coughing at night. Make sure you always mix essential oils with carrier oil, such as olive oil, before applying them to the skin, because they should not come into direct contact with the skin when they are pure. The essential oil to rub on the chest is as effective as Vick's VaporRub, but does not contain chemicals or petroleum derivatives and is completely natural. If you need to apply it to children under the age of 10, check the label to know if the essential oils contained are safe or if there are any dangers.
