Quell the Cough
When you feel a cold coming on, chances are you already know that sleep is an integral step toward recovery. But when that cold includes a cough, sleep is probably not happening as consistently as your body needs to get on the mend. Read on to get tips from medical and holistic health professionals for how to ease your nighttime coughing fits—whether it's before bed or in the wee hours of the night.
Nightlong Eucalyptus
A simple coughing remedy that will last all night is to put a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a blanket or on a child's stuffed animal in a spot that won't stain or touch the skin, suggests Dr. Kendra Clifford, ND, a naturopathic physician and birth doula based in Ontario, Canada. Eucalyptus acts as an expectorant, which helps bring up mucus or other irritants from the respiratory tract. As an alternative, you can also place a few drops on a tissue or cloth and place over a humidifier to breathe it continuously throughout the night, says Dr. Clifford.
Onion and Garlic
Another potent expectorant combo is onion and garlic. Put soup—especially broth-based soups like chicken noodle—on the menu every night the cough persists and load each soup with garlic and onion. In addition to helping dislodge whatever needs to work its way out of your trachea, the fluids will keep you hydrated and help thin out the mucus, says Dr. Clifford.
Lozenge Sampler
Besides soothing the throat, sucking on a lozenge before bed can give your immune system a boost as well, depending on the flavor you choose. Menthol, which is made from a refined form of peppermint oil, helps as a cough suppressant, says Dr. Clifford. Or, slippery elm is another option, which protects mucous membranes. You also can't go wrong with lozenges that contain vitamin C and zinc since both help fight infection and are anti-inflammatory, she notes.
Herbal Rub
Another way to breathe in eucalyptus (or other essential oils that can ease coughing) throughout the night is to make a simple DIY herbal rub and apply on the chest, says Dr. Clifford. Just combine 4 tablespoons ofcoconut oil with two drops of an essential oil, such as eucalyptus, sage, rosemary or peppermint.
Steam Inhalation
One of the best ways to ease a cough before bedtime is to try steam inhalation, suggests Dr. Sumit Srivastava, MD, who works with Icliniq, an online medical consultation platform. Take a steam shower or create a DIY steamer (pour boiling water into a bowl, lean over with a towel draped over your head and breathe deeply). Give these treatments a try for at least three to five minutes, he suggests, which will help break up mucus and congestion.
Honey and Ginger
For those over 1 year old, here's a quick and effective "cough syrup" to make before bed: Grate a tablespoon of fresh ginger and combine with honey, suggests Dr. Srivastava. Both ginger and honey have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties and are safer alternatives to over-the-counter medicines, particularly for children under the age of four, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Breathe Deep
It may not sound like the fanciest remedy of the bunch, but should you find yourself experiencing a coughing fit in the middle of the night, just doing some deep breathing may do the trick. The reason? "Taking slow, deep breaths helps to overcome a cough as diaphragmatic irritation or vagus stimulation [a nerve located in the neck] is reduced," Dr. Srivastava explains. Place your hands on your stomach and focus on making that area expand as you breathe into your diaphragm as opposed to doing shallow, chest breathing.
Nasal Rinse
Since a cough is your body's way of trying to expel unwanted irritants, doing a "flush" before bed could give your body a break from doing all the work on its own. Rebecca Lee, a registered nurse and founder of Remedies for Me, suggests doing a homemade nasal rinse to remove any debris while soothing inflamed mucous linings. Just mix 1 teaspoon of sea salt, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, 1 cup of warm filtered water, six to eight drops of betadine (an antiseptic solution) and one drop of diluted oregano oil "for added antimicrobial effect," she says. Use a neti pot or a bulp syringe to filter through each nostril and repeat three times daily, especially before bedtime.
The Elderberry Effect
Especially within the first 48 hours of a cough, cold or flu, using elderberry can have powerful antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, says Lee. Before bed, rinse your mouth with elderberry or take a dose of elderberry syrup before turning in for the night. It can work as an antiseptic mouthwash while also fighting upper respiratory infections and treating gram-positive and gram-negative infections like pneumonia.
