When you’re sick with a cold, all you want is a good night’s sleep—but many people find that their cold symptoms get worse at night. Several factors may be at work.
Your cold symptoms may get worse when you’re trying to sleep because your immune system is more active at night.
Your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock) sends signals to your immune system cells to become more active at night. Immune cells fight infection by causing inflammation in the body. Increased inflammation contributes to common cold symptoms, including cough and congestion.
Immune cells that trigger inflammation tend to peak during the early night hours, just when you’re going to bed.
In addition to affecting your immune system function, your circadian rhythm regulates hormone levels. Levels of the hormone cortisol fluctuate throughout the day. Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, regulates your body’s reaction to stress.
These levels decrease at night, helping your body relax. But cortisol also helps reduce inflammation, and lower levels of it can lead to increased inflammation in your body. Inflammation makes cold symptoms feel worse.
Lower cortisol levels may also cause your fever to spike at night. This can contribute to your discomfort and inability to fall asleep.
Your sleep position also affects your cold symptoms. When you lie down, mucus and sinus drainage can collect at the back of your throat. This can make your cough worse and contribute to sinus pain and headaches.
Tip: To support better sleep and reduce coughing, consider sleeping with more than one pillow to elevate your head.
At night, you may be more aware of your cold symptoms because you aren’t distracted by your daily tasks and activities. Having a fever makes it harder to fall asleep, so it’s natural to lie awake thinking about your discomfort. Giving attention to symptoms like pain and discomfort may make them worse, some research says.
Home Remedies
Many home remedies can help improve cold symptoms or shorten the duration of the common cold. Consider these remedies:
- Salt water: Gargling with salt water may reduce cold symptoms and even help prevent future infections. It can also loosen mucus and improve a cough.
- Nasal irrigation: Using a neti pot or other nasal irrigation system may relieve cold symptoms like congestion and sore throat.
- Rest: When you have a cold, rest as much as possible. Consider using extra pillows at night to prop your head up.
- Steam: Breathing in steam from a hot shower or humidifier may loosen mucus and improve a cough.
- Fluids: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and improve your cough.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C is an antioxidant that supports the immune system. Taking a vitamin C supplement may help decrease or shorten your cold symptoms.
- Honey: Honey acts as a natural cough suppressant and may have antimicrobial properties. Consider eating a spoonful of honey or stirring it into herbal tea before bed. Don’t give honey to infants younger than 12 months old due to the risk of botulism.
- Echinacea: Echinacea is an herb that may help shorten a cold’s duration. Limited research has found that it could be an effective treatment for cold symptoms.
- Zinc: Zinc is an essential element that may shorten the duration of a cold. Taking zinc lozenges by mouth within 24 hours of symptoms starting may relieve cold symptoms.
Over-the-Counter Treatments
Many over-the-counter (OTC) treatments can improve your cold symptoms and help you fall asleep faster. Consider these options:
- Pain medications: Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Advil (ibuprofen) relieve many cold symptoms, including fever and headache.
- Cough medicines: Many cough medications can suppress your cough overnight, helping you to sleep. A cough expectorant is helpful for a productive (wet) cough that causes you to cough up mucus.
- Nasal decongestants: Nasal decongestants such as Sudafed (phenylephrine) can help reduce congestion and a stuffy nose. Talk with a doctor before using these if you have high blood pressure.
- Throat lozenges: Sucking on a throat lozenge or cough drop may soothe a sore throat and reduce coughing.
Most people can safely treat a cold at home. See a doctor if you develop any of the following symptoms:
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain
- Dizziness or fainting
- Confusion
- Uncontrolled pain or vomiting
Cold symptoms can last up to 14 days. If you have had symptoms for longer than two weeks, consider seeing a doctor.
