how to sleep with a blocked nose or a cold
To sleep well with a blocked nose or cold, create the right sleep environment by keeping your bedroom cool, humidified and cosy, take nighttime cold medicine, stay warm with a steamy shower before bed to ease congestion, avoid tossing and turning and try your best to sleep on your side as it promotes easier breathing.
When you’re suffering from a cold, getting the sleep you need can be a difficult task. One minute you’re burning up, the next you’re shivering, and then it’s hard to forget about the blocked nose, sore throat, and muscle pain. Although sleep is what you need to feel better, sadly there’s no fast overnight cure for the common cold. But there are some simple yet effective things that you can try to alleviate the symptoms, helping you to sleep better which in turn, make you feel better.
In this guide, we’ll prove how effective it is to change your sleep environment when you’re suffering from a cold or flu, potentially alleviating your symptoms and helping you get a quality sleep. From taking control of the room temperature to your sleeping position, continue reading as we share our top tips for how to sleep with a blocked nose or cold.
why can’t I sleep when I have a cold?
The common cold is caused by a viral infection, with symptoms that include a blocked nose, and a sore throat which are both uncomfortable and the opposite to sleep-inducing. You’re also likely to experience more mucus when you’ve got a blocked nose as this is caused by inflamed blood vessels within your nasal passageways.
When you lie down, your blood pressure changes and, in this position, blood flows to the top of your body, which in turn worsens the inflammation in the blood vessels, making your nasal passages smaller. This is why when you’re sleeping with a cold, you feel more congested when you go to bed, making it harder to breathe and drift off into dreamland. A cold often causes discomfort and body aches too, making it challenging to find a comfortable sleeping position. Let’s take a look at some remedies for relieving your symptoms so you can get back to prioritising your shut eye.
why does a blocked nose get worse when lying down?
Your blocked nose worsens when you’re laid down because gravity can no longer help drain the mucus build-up from the nasal passages. Therefore, more fluid and blood pools in the nasal tissues, leading to swelling and you feeling congested. What’s more, lying on your back can also make it more difficult for sinus drainage to flow well, making you feel even more stuffy.
how to sleep with a blocked nose & cold
Fear not sleepyheads, getting better sleep with a cold is possible. Below we've listed our top 10 tips.
1. create the right sleep environment
Creating the right sleep environment when you have a cold can make a big difference in your comfort and recovery. We recommend keeping your bedroom cool, but not too cold (aim for 16-20°C), blocking out any unwanted noise using earplugs, keeping the room dark and ensuring you’re comfortable. Black out blinds and face masks can darken the space, creating a cosy space for a restful night's sleep.
As for comfort, investing in where you sleep is key. Whether adding a mattress topper to your set-up to create that sink-in feeling or using a thicker duvet during the winter months, find what works for you.
2. use a humidifier
If you’re struggling to breathe, using a humidifier can help as it’ll add moisture to the air to clear nasal passages and break up mucus.
3. take night time-suitable cold medicine
Night time cough syrups and other medicinal products designed to combat colds will often make you feel relaxed before going to bed, and will also help alleviate symptoms during the night. Make sure you avoid medication that contains caffeine as this’ll likely keep you awake and alert.
what are the common side effects of cold medicine on sleep?
You should always take bedtime-specific cold medicine before you sleep as these are designed to induce sleep as opposed to keeping you alert with added caffeine. When taking cold medicine, you could experience drowsiness or sedation, frequent urination or dry mouth and sometimes vivid dreams or confusion, especially for those older.
4. have a warm shower before bed
Not only is a warm shower a good way to relax before bedtime, but the steam from the hot water can also help ease congestion, making it easier to breathe.
5. use a nasal decongestant
A nasal spray is designed to reduce the inflamed tissue in your nose. It also decreases the production of mucus, so you can breathe more easily when you’re trying to sleep.
6. drink a hot beverage
A calming and relaxing hot beverage is great for opening your nasal passages. Before going to bed, try something like a soothing chamomile tea but always avoid too much sugar and caffeine – even some herbal teas contain a high amount of caffeine.
7. avoid tossing and turning
If you can’t get to sleep after around 20 minutes, do something relaxing such as reading or listening to soothing music rather than forcing it, leading you to toss and turn. Then when you start to feel sleepy, go back to bed and hopefully you’ll be better ready for a restful slumber.
8. sleep on your side
Sleeping on your side when you have a cold can help alleviate congestion and promote easier breathing as it allows your airways to remain open and helps drain mucus more efficiently.
9. soothe your sore throat
With a cold often comes a sore throat. To alleviate the pain and discomfort of this, try gargling salt water before cleaning your teeth; this should help soothe and provide some relief (and potentially prevent an infection from getting worse).
10. avoid alcohol
We always recommend you avoid alcohol before bedtime, but it’s even more important you do if you’re also suffering from a cold. Alcohol can worsen your symptoms, dehydrate you, and interfere with your immune system's ability to fight off the infection. Stay hydrated and rest instead for a better night’s sleep.
Making some simple adjustments to your sleep routine can go a long way to help ease symptoms during the night. However, if symptoms worsen after a week and you experience a fever and are having difficulty breathing, make sure to see your doctor as it could be a sign of a more serious infection.
the best position to sleep in when you have a cold
When you have a cold, finding a comfortable position to sleep in can be a challenge. The best position to sleep in when you're congested is on your side as it can prevent mucus from entering your throat. It’s also best to elevate your head slightly with an extra pillow to alleviate nasal congestion and promote easier breathing. Remember, a good night's rest is essential for your body to heal, so snuggle up and do what you can to sleep well.
does sleeping with the window open help a cold?
Sleeping with a window open may provide you with some benefits when suffering from a cold. Fresh air circulation can help maintain a healthy environment, reducing the risk of germs and preventing stuffiness when sleeping with a blocked nose. However, it's also important to keep yourself warm and comfortable to avoid worsening symptoms. Balancing fresh air intake and personal comfort is key to determining if sleeping with a window open can help with your cold.
does sleep help with colds?
Absolutely. While sleep won't directly cure your cold, it plays a vital role in helping your body fight off the infection. Restful sleep allows your immune system to work efficiently, promoting faster recovery. So, make sure to get plenty of restorative sleep and let your body heal itself if you can.
how to stop coughing from a cold when trying to sleep
The best way to rid of a cough when trying to sleep is to keep your head elevated using extra pillows, use a humidifier to moisten the air (ideal for dry coughs), and sip warm fluids like lemon and honey tea to soothe your throat. You’ll want to avoid anything that’ll irritate your throat like smoke and fizzy drinks.
We hope we’ve inspired you on how to sleep with a cold. Remember, rest is crucial for your recovery. So, snuggle up with warm blankets, sip on soothing teas, and indulge in some self-care. Before you know it, you'll be back to dreaming peacefully and waking up refreshed. If you found this article helpful, discover winter bedding guide.
