Pre-bedtime Rituals To Ensure You Have A Cough-free Night

By Author: cofsilsindia
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A constant, nagging cough can get to anyone. However, when it is accompanied by other serious symptoms like congestion and fever, it can wreak havoc on your system and disrupt your sleeping and waking hours. Things get especially worse at night when your cough tends to be at its worst. There are a number of reasons responsible for this. The fact that you have a cough and are already on khasi ki dawai means there is a good chance that you have a sore throat too. This means, anything irritating your throat can trigger a coughing reflex. As you lay down at night, nasal drainage occurs into your throat, and this is especially worse if you have a clogged or runny nose. This drainage irritates the lining of your throat and causes you to cough. This is why so many people end up coughing uncontrollably the moment they lay their heads on the pillow. Congestion too tends to dislodge as your body lies prone and causes you to cough. Let us explore how you can combat this through medications, home remedies, and certain lifestyle routine changes.

One of the most important points to ensure you don't cough at night is ...
... to not eat anything for two hours before bedtime. If you have an irritated throat, food only makes it worse and can usually bring on a coughing fit. Have an early dinner and wait for two hours so your throat has enough time to settle down. During this time you can drink some warm water to soothe your throat and prepare it for the night. You also need to pay attention to what you eat for dinner. Spicy and oily foods will all irritate your throat and tend to stick around your throat lining. Have simple bland food that is easy on your throat and avoid food that is too hot as well. Having cold drinks or frozen desserts too will make things worse. If you are prone to acidity, make sure you take something for acid reflux since it can trigger a coughing fit as well. When you lie down, the bile rising from your stomach will irritate your throat and cause you to cough. In certain cases, this can also be the cause of your cough and sore throat. Your ritual before hitting the bed is extremely important to ensure you have a good night. Keep your cough remedies nearby and avoid taking any strong medication just before you sleep. You should ideally have a kadha or some warm water right before you sleep. You can also choose to do a simple saltwater rinse to ensure your throat is soothed before bedtime. Not even the best cough syrup will be able to help you if you don't sleep the right way. Make sure you aren't sleeping directly under a fan or in line with an AC's blower. Always keep your head and upper body well raised to avoid acid reflux which can irritate your throat. Clear your nose right before you sleep and you should be fine. If you feel chest congestion could trouble you at night, applying vaporub on your chest and back will help ease your symptoms as you sleep.

In general, avoid caffeinated drinks close to your bedtime. Besides keeping you awake and alert, such drinks can have a diuretic effect which means you may have to wake up frequently to urinate at night. It is also advisable to keep cough drops handy at night when you sleep. Anytime you feel an itch coming on or if you start coughing at any point, pop one of these and let them ease your throat. Alternatively, you can also select one of the ayurvedic alternatives available in the market. There are many ayurvedic throat pills that slowly dissolve in your mouth and continue to soothe your throat as you sleep. A good night's sleep is essential for everyone and even more so if you are suffering from flu or viral/ bacterial infections. You need to get proper REM sleep which is essential for your body to heal well and recover quickly. Find a night-time ritual that works well for you and also helps you avoid the worst of your symptoms - be it a cough or a runny or blocked nose. Have and maintain a regular sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible. This also helps your body prepare itself for rest and is an essential part of your recovery journey.