How to Stop a Night Cough

Do you have a cough at night even if you don’t have a cold? There are many factors that make you cough at night. In this article, the wikiHow teaches you how to treat a nighttime cough.

Table of Contents

Adjust sleep habits

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Head pillow when sleeping. Pillow your head high before sleeping and try to use extra pillows to support your head while sleeping. This position prevents postnasal drip and prevents mucus from flowing back down your throat when you sleep at night. ^{[1] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

You can also place wooden blocks under the headboard to raise your head about 10cm. This angle will help the acid stay in your stomach and not irritate your throat.
If possible, you should avoid sleeping on your back because this position makes it difficult to breathe at night and causes coughing. ^{[2] X Research Source}
Sleeping with your head elevated by adding extra pillows is the best way to relieve a nighttime cough caused by congestive heart failure. Water will collect in the lower part of the lungs and will not affect the breathing process.

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Take a hot shower or soak in the tub before bed. Dry airways can make your cough worse at night. So, soak in a steamy bath and moisturize your body before going to bed. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If you have asthma, the steam can make you cough more. Do not use this therapy if you have asthma.

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Avoid sleeping under fans, heaters and air conditioners. Cold air blowing against your face at night will only make your cough worse. Move the bed so that it is not under the air conditioner or heater. If using a fan in the room at night, you should place the fan opposite the bed. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Hot and dry air from a heater can irritate your throat, so you should also avoid sleeping in front of the heater’s vent. ^{[5] X Cleveland Clinic Trusted Source Go to Source}

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Use a humidifier in the bedroom. A humidifier can help maintain the humidity in the room. The steam opens the airways and makes it easier for air to flow. Humidity will help moisten the airways and reduce the likelihood of coughing. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Maintain humidity at 40% to 50%, as dust mites and molds breed in humid air. You can buy a hygrometer at home stores.

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Clean the bed at least once a week. If you have a persistent cough at night and are prone to allergies, keep your bed clean. Dust mites are tiny creatures that feed on dead skin flakes, often live in beds and are common allergy triggers. If you have allergies or asthma, dust mites are a risk factor for you. Be sure to wash your sheets and try using a fabric cover. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Wash all sheets and blankets in hot water once a week.
You can also wrap your mattress in plastic wrap to keep dust mites out and keep your bed clean.

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Keep a glass of water on the nightstand. So when a night cough wakes you up, you can drink water to clear your throat. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Drinking warm water or liquids can help loosen the phlegm that causes a nighttime cough, and it can also help soothe an itchy or burning sensation in the throat.

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Try to breathe through your nose while sleeping. Before going to sleep, think of this adage: “The nose is to breathe, the mouth is to eat”. Practice breathing through your nose while you sleep by intentionally taking several breaths through your nose. This will relieve pressure on the throat and hopefully it will help with the nighttime cough.

Sit up straight in a comfortable position. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Relax your upper body and close your mouth. Place your tongue behind your lower teeth, away from the roof of your mouth.
Place your hands on your diaphragm or lower abdomen. You should try to breathe through your diaphragm, not your chest. Diaphragm breathing is important because it helps exchange air in the lungs and massage the liver, stomach and intestines, flushing toxins out of these organs. It also helps to relax the upper body.
Breathe deeply through your nose and inhale for about 2-3 seconds.
Exhale through your nose for about 3-4 seconds. Hold for 2-3 seconds and inhale through your nose again.
Practice breathing through your nose several times. Extending the time to inhale and exhale will help the body get used to breathing through the nose rather than breathing through the mouth.

Use specialized therapies

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Take an over-the-counter cough medicine. Over-the-counter cough medicine works two things: ^{[10] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go to source}

An expectorant such as Mucinex DM helps loosen mucus and phlegm in the throat and airways.
Cough medicines such as Delsym suppress the cough reflex and control coughs.
You can also take regular cough syrup or rub Vick’s Vapor Rub oil on your chest before bed. Both of these help relieve nighttime coughs.
Read the label carefully before taking it. Ask your pharmacist if you are not sure which over-the-counter medicine is right for you.

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Use cough lozenges. Some cough lozenges have numbing ingredients like benzocaine that can help calm a cough for a while enough for you to fall asleep. ^{[11] X Research Source}

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Talk to your doctor if your cough has not cleared up after 7 days. If your nighttime coughs get worse after multiple treatments or don’t go away after 7 days, you need to see a doctor. Causes of nighttime cough include asthma, the common cold, gastroesophageal reflux disease, ACE inhibitors, viral syndromes, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, or cancer. If you have a high fever and chronic nighttime cough, see your doctor as soon as possible. ^{[12] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

Evaluation of chronic cough begins with a review of the history and physical examination. Your doctor may give you an X-ray to see if there is an underlying medical condition. Other tests for GERD or asthma may also be needed.
Based on the diagnosis, your doctor may prescribe decongestants or recommend other stronger treatments. Cheratussin with codeine is the most commonly prescribed medicine for coughs. If you already have another serious health problem that causes a nighttime cough, such as asthma or a persistent cold, ask your doctor about special medications to treat these symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe medications such as dextromethorphan, morphine, guaifenesin, and gabapentin.
Tell your doctor if you are taking an ACE inhibitor, as a cough can be a side effect of the medicine.
Some coughs, especially when they’re persistent or chronic, can be a symptom of more serious conditions like heart disease and lung cancer. However, these conditions are often accompanied by other noticeable symptoms such as coughing up blood or a history of heart problems. ^{[13] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go to Source}

Use natural remedies

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Eat a spoonful of honey before going to bed. Honey is a great natural remedy to soothe the throat, as it coats and soothes the mucous membranes in the throat. Honey also has antibacterial properties thanks to an enzyme produced by bees. So if the cough is caused by a bacterial disease, honey can help repel that bad bacteria. ^{[14] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Take 1 tablespoon of garlic and raw honey 1-3 times daily before bed. You can also mix honey in a glass of warm water with lemon and drink it before bed.
For children, give 1 teaspoon of honey, 1-3 times a day before bed.
Never give honey to children under 2 years of age due to the risk of botulism, which is a neurotoxin.

Try a saline rinse before bedtime if you have postnasal drip. Mucus running down the back of the throat is a common cause of a nighttime cough. Rinsing the nose with saline before bedtime may help. ^{[15] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source} You can buy physiological saline at a drugstore and follow the instructions on the package to flush your nose. Often people will instruct you to pour salt water into one nostril while tilting your head to one side so that the saline comes out through the other nostril. ^{[16] X Trusted Source MedlinePlus Go to Source}

If you want, you can make your own saline nasal rinse at home. You will need a syringe, spray bottle, or hand squeezer to inject the saline.
If postnasal drip doesn’t respond to saline, your doctor may recommend a spray, such as a steroid or a decongestant. ^{[17] X Trusted Source Harvard Medical Schop Go to Source}

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Drink licorice root tea. Licorice root is a natural decongestant. It soothes the airways and loosens mucus in the throat. It also helps reduce inflammation in the throat. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Look for dried licorice root at health food stores. You can also buy dried licorice root in the form of tea bags from the tea shelf in grocers.
Soak licorice root in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, or as directed on the tea box. Close the lid to allow the tea to soak in the steam and the oil from the tea to release. Drink 1-2 times a day and before bed.
Do not take licorice root if you are taking steroids or have kidney problems.

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Gargle with salt water. Salt water can relieve throat discomfort and help clear mucus from the throat. If you have a stuffy nose and cough, gargling with salt water can help clear the phlegm out of your throat. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Mix a teaspoon of salt in 240 ml of warm water and stir to dissolve.
Gargle with salt water for 15 seconds, being careful not to swallow the salt water.
Spit it out and gargle again with the remaining salt water.
Rinse your mouth with white water after rinsing with salt water.

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Steam your face with water and natural essential oils. Steam inhalation is a great way to absorb moisture through the nasal passages and stop a dry cough. Adding essential oils like tea tree and eucalyptus to your water can give you antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory benefits. ^{[20] X Research Source}

Bring enough water to a boil in a medium-sized bowl with a lid. Pour water into a bowl and let cool for about 30 -60 seconds.
Add 3 drops of tea tree oil and 1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl of water. Stir quickly to let the steam rise.
Lean your head towards the bowl of water and try to get as close as possible. But don’t get too close lest you burn your skin. Cover your head with a clean towel like a tent to catch the steam. Breathe deeply for about 5-10 minutes. Try to steam with essential oils 2-3 times a day.
You can also rub essential oils on your chest for yourself and your baby to stop a nighttime cough. Always mix essential oils with organic olive oil before applying to the skin, as pure essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin. The essential oil applied to the breasts has the same effect as Vick’s Vapor Rub oil, but it is free of petrochemicals and is completely natural. When giving to children under 10 years of age, check essential oil labels for safe use and warnings. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Steps

Adjust sleep habits

Use specialized therapies

Use natural remedies

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