How to stop nighttime coughing

To calm a nighttime cough, it may be interesting to take a sip of water, avoid dry air and keep the rooms in the house always clean, as this way it is possible to keep the throat hydrated and avoid factors that can favor and aggravate the cough.

Nocturnal cough is a defense of the body, having as main function the elimination of foreign elements and secretions from the respiratory tract. This cough is very uncomfortable and tiring but can be solved with simple measures.

However, it is important to see a doctor when the person cannot sleep due to coughing, when the cough is very frequent and occurs more than 5 days a week, or when it is accompanied by phlegm, fever or other symptoms that may indicate something more serious, such as coughing up blood.

4 tips to stop nighttime cough

What can be done to stop the nocturnal cough of adults and children is:

1. Soothe the throat

Taking a sip of room temperature water or a sip of warm tea when the cough appears, can be interesting to stop the night cough. This will keep your mouth and throat more hydrated, which will help soothe a dry cough. Warm milk sweetened with honey can also be a good option, which even helps you fall asleep faster, as it fights insomnia. Discover other home remedy options for cough.

2. Keeping the airways clear

In addition to preventing phlegm by taking all the necessary measures, it is important to avoid the accumulation of solid secretions inside the nose, cleaning it with a wet cotton swab, for example. It can also be interesting to do a mist or take advantage of the hot steam of the bath to blow your nose so that it is unobstructed. Learn how to wash your nose to unclog your nose.

3. Avoid dry air indoors

To make the house feel less dry, it is recommended to leave a bucket of water near the fan or air conditioner. Another possibility is to wet a towel with warm water and leave it on a chair, for example.

Using an air humidifier can also be helpful, and this can be used for aromatherapy, which calms a cough and imparts a pleasant aroma indoors. A homemade way to achieve this same effect is to put 2 to 4 drops of an essential oil of your choice in a basin, fill it with hot water and let the steam spread through the rooms of the house.

4. Keeping the house clean

A dry and irritating cough is usually related to some type of respiratory allergy and therefore keeping your home and workplace always clean and organized can make all the difference, calming the cough. Some tips that can help are:

• Keep the house well ventilated, opening windows whenever possible;
• Remove stuffed animals, curtains and rugs from the house;
• Clean the house daily, without using strong-smelling products;
• Remove excess objects and papers, especially under beds, sofas and on top of closets;
• Store pillows and mattresses in hypoallergenic covers;
• Place mattresses and pillows in the sun whenever possible;
• Change pillows and pillows periodically because they accumulate mites that are harmful to he alth.

These measures must be adopted as a new way of life and therefore must be maintained for life.

What makes a cough worse at night

Nocturnal cough can be caused by flu, colds or allergies, for example. Nocturnal cough is irritating and excessive, and can make sleep difficult, since when the person lies down, the drainage of secretions from the airways becomes more difficult, favoring their accumulation and stimulating coughing. The main causes of nocturnal cough, which especially affects children, are:

• Respiratory allergy such as asthma or rhinitis;
• Recent viral infection of the respiratory tract, such as flu, cold or pneumonia;
• Presence of foreign bodies inside the nose, such as corn kernels or small toys;
• Aspiration of smoke or vapors that can inflame the tissues of the nose and throat;
• Emotional tension, fear of the dark, fear of sleeping alone;
• Gastro-esophageal reflux: when food returns from the stomach into the esophagus irritating the throat.

Another possible cause of nocturnal cough is the enlargement of the adenoid, a protective structure between the nose and throat, which favors the accumulation of secretions.