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Nine Strategies for Eliminating Nighttime Coughing

Trying to figure out ways to curb nighttime coughing? Consider trying home solutions such as consuming warm beverages prior to sleep, using a cool-mist vaporizer, or taking a cough-silencing medication.

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Trying to silence that persistent nighttime cough? Consider these home solutions: sipping warm...
Trying to silence that persistent nighttime cough? Consider these home solutions: sipping warm beverages prior to sleep, employing a cool-mist humidifier, or administering a cough suppressant.

Nine Strategies for Eliminating Nighttime Coughing

You ain't feeling so hot, and all you want is a decent night's sleep. But then this cough sneaks up, startling you from your slumber and keeping you wide awake.

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Sleeping with a cough can be a real pain in the butt, but there are some things you can do to get some shut-eye. Family medicine physician Elizabeth Rainbolt, MD, shares a few tips to help you stop coughing at night and know when it's time to see a doc.

What's causing that cough?

Coughs can be caused by a whole bunch of things, like:

  • Just a common cold or flu
  • Bronchitis or pneumonia
  • Whooping cough
  • GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease)
  • Asthma
  • Allergies
  • Sleep apnea
  • Smoking
  • Certain medications

Some of these may cause you to experience postnasal drip, which is when mucus runs down the back of your throat, making you feel the urge to cough.

Relief for a cough that won't quit

Is your cough productive (bringing up mucus) or dry (no mucus)? While the at-home treatments for relieving a cough may be the same for both, it's important to know the difference.

"When you're coughing up mucus or phlegm from your lungs, that's considered a productive (wet) cough," explains Dr. Rainbolt. "And a dry cough is when you cough without bringing up mucus or phlegm."

Dr. Rainbolt notes that a dry cough can turn into a wet cough over time.

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"When you first get a cold, it starts in your nose or sinuses and you have a dry cough," she adds. "But as your cold works its way into your chest, your dry cough can turn into a wet cough."

Regardless of the type of cough you have, it can disrupt your sleep and give your immune system no chance to heal.

"Your body needs time to heal and rest," says Dr. Rainbolt. "But if you're constantly coughing, you're interrupting your sleep cycles, and you're not giving your body enough time to heal. It becomes a troublesome pattern."

Relief for a productive or wet cough

If you have a wet cough, Dr. Rainbolt recommends these at-home remedies:

  • Use an expectorant during the day: Over-the-counter medications like guaifenesin thin out mucus, making it easy for you to cough up mucus and phlegm.
  • Turn on a cool-mist humidifier at night: Adding moisture to the air can help both dry and wet coughs. Keep the humidity level around 40% to 50%.
  • Drink warm liquids and honey: This can ease your cough and loosen mucus. And make sure you stay hydrated throughout the day.
  • Try a nasal saline spray or salt-water gargle: This can help thin out any secretions.
  • Use a cough suppressant at night if you don't have any other health conditions like high blood pressure: This will lessen your urge to cough as you sleep.
  • Take a hot shower before bed: A hot shower works in a similar way to a humidifier, loosening mucus and helping clear your airways.

Relief for a dry cough

You're more likely to develop a dry cough if you have GERD, asthma, or an upper respiratory infection. Many of the same at-home treatments for a wet cough can help a dry cough. Dr. Rainbolt suggests:

  • Minimize dust and allergens using an air purifier and by taking a shower before bed to remove outdoor irritants like pollen.
  • Use a lozenge or cough drop: These can alleviate a sore throat and help reduce coughing.
  • Consider a decongestant: but talk to your doctor first if you have high blood pressure.

Other types of coughs

While a productive (wet) and dry cough are common when dealing with a cold, flu, or allergies, there are other types of coughs you should be aware of, like:

  • A whooping cough (pertussis): This cough sounds like a "whoop."
  • A barking cough (croup): A sign of croup, your cough will sound like barking.
  • A wheezing cough: Occurs when your airways are blocked due to an infection or a chronic condition like asthma.

How to sleep with a cough

So, you've tried the remedies outlined above, but you're still wondering how to stop coughing at night? Dr. Rainbolt says positioning can also affect your cough.

Best sleep positions if you have a cough

  • Sleep with your head and upper body slightly elevated: This can help reduce postnasal drip and GERD-related irritation.
  • Sleeping on your side might help if you have a dry cough.
  • Lying flat on your back can worsen postnasal drip.

When to see a doctor

If it goes on for more than a week, it's a good idea to see a doc. And reach out sooner if you're experiencing:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Fever over 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit (38.61 degrees Celsius)
  • Vomiting
  • Swollen ankles
  • Chest pains
  • Pink-colored mucus or blood in your mucus

When you see your doctor, they'll listen to your lungs, check your throat and ears, and examine your airways to determine the underlying cause. Treatment may include antibiotics, cough suppressants, and a variety of lifestyle changes depending on the diagnosis[1].

[1] Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). How to beat a persistent cough. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/how-to-beat-a-persistent-cough[2] CDC. (2020). Cough causing. https://www.cdc.gov/features/cough/index.html[3] Mayo Clinic. (2020). Cough: Home remedies and self-care. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cough/multimedia/cough-home-remedies-and-self-care/img-20006573[4] NHS. (2020). Chest infection and cough (bronchitis or tracheitis). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chest-infection-bronchitis-or-tracheitis/[5] Cleveland Clinic. (2020). Chronic cough. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16092-chronic-cough

Enrichment Insights:

  • Cough can result from various conditions such as colds, sleep apnea, GERD, asthma, or allergies.
  • Lifestyle changes, such as elevating the head during sleep, avoiding irritants, and using humidifiers, may help relieve a cough.
  • Medical evaluation and appropriate treatment may be necessary for persistent or severe cough. Antibiotics and cough suppressants may be prescribed for certain underlying conditions.
  1. To help stop a stubborn night-time cough, consider using an over-the-counter expectorant during the day to thin mucus, utilizing a cool-mist humidifier at night to add moisture to the air, and drinking warm liquids or honey to ease your cough and loosen mucus.
  2. If you're experiencing a dry cough, try minimizing dust and allergens using an air purifier, taking a shower before bed to remove irritants like pollen, and using a lozenge or cough drop to help alleviate a sore throat.
  3. While sleeping with a cough, positioning can play a role in relief. Sleeping with your head and upper body slightly elevated and on your side might help, while lying flat on your back can worsen postnasal drip. If your cough persists for more than a week, consult a doctor and seek immediate medical attention if you experience difficulty breathing, fever, vomiting, swollen ankles, chest pains, or pink- or blood-tinged mucus.

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