Simple tips which helps you get rid of nighttime coughing

Dhwani Vora | Mar 5, 2020, 10:20 IST
There are times when you start coughing during the nights which can spoil your good night's sleep. It could often get worse during those hours. This is due to lying flat in bed as mucus accumulates in the back of your throat and causes coughing.

There are many ways in which you can relieve the nighttime coughing which includes lifestyle changes, natural remedies and medication. You can try out these tips to prevent coughing in the night and sleep better instead:

Use a humidifier: Dry air can tend to irritate your throat and airways which can worsen the coughing. You can use a humidifier at night which adds moisture to the air and helps in soothing the throat and prevents coughing.

Drink tea with honey: A cup of hot tea with a little honey can loosen the mucus and soothe the throat which reduces irritation. You can add honey in a caffeine free tea like herbal tea. Drink this tea before bedtime. Also, don't give honey to children younger than 1 year.

Elevate the head: You can try adding some pillows to raise your head. This will decrease the postnasal drip and any symptoms of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) which can cause coughing in the night.

Gargle with warm salt water: Gargling with warm salt water helps in removing the mucus from the back of the throat. You can mix a teaspoon of salt in a glass full of warm water and gargle a few times before you hit the bed. Don't swallow the salt water though.

Use a saline nasal spray: Using a saline nasal spray will decrease thin mucus, removes irritants and allergens, decreases dryness in the nose. This can also decrease postnasal drip.

Quit smoking: Smoking is a big cause of coughing in the night. Quitting smoking will not help overnight, but will eventually do so. When you stop smoking, your cough will definitely improve but so will your overall health.
Copyright © 2021 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.
All rights reserved.