Having trouble getting a good night’s sleep because of a cold or flu bug? Here are some easy ways to help you get your proper ZZZs from Dr. Ken Redcross, board-certified internal medicine physician and founder of Redcross Concierge, a personalized medicine practice.
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Sit up.When your head is elevated, it can help ease the pressure in your sinuses. Laying down can exacerbate postnasal drip which can make your throat raw or cause you to start coughing. At night, keeping yourself propped up in bed with a few pillows will help you breathe easier and therefore sleep better. |
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Keep it humid.Keeping the air moist with a humidifier, especially in winter, can help relieve congestion and keep noses, especially little ones, clearer. |
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Skip the booze.A nightcap may make you feel sleepy at first but the restorative quality of sleep will be affected. Alcoholic beverages can act as a diuretic and cause dehydration making you feel worse. It also may impair your ability to fight off the illness. |
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Make it hot.Steam from hot soup or beverages can help loosen mucus and keep nasal passages clear. Chicken noodle soup is almost like a medicine because it decreases the migration of white blood cells to those areas that can wreak havoc such as our lungs or our nasal passages. A hot bath or steamy shower, especially before bedtime, can also help relieve congestion. |
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Go homeopathic.A homeopathic medicine like Chestal Honey cough syrup can help quiet a fitful nighttime cough that keeps you awake. Chestal instantly coats and soothes the throat while a blend of homeopathic medicines loosens chest congestion.* There’s also no risk of drug interactions if combined with another cold medicine. |
*Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.
