What will stop coughing at night

All that phlegm has to go somewhere, right? Common allergens and irritants—such as dust mites, cigarette smoke, mold spores, pet dander, cockroaches, and pollen—can be enough to trigger a persistent cough every time you snuggle up for sleep. This is one of the primary reasons why you might only experience coughing at night and not during the day. What does your gastrointestinal system have to do with coughing? A lot, if you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD , also known as acid reflux.

When you lie down after eating, the same stomach contents that usually cause heartburn and nausea during the day can reach as far as the back of your throat, setting off a cough reflex and, sometimes, a sore throat.

But if you take one too close to bedtime, you could spend half your night coughing up all that thinned-out phlegm. Meanwhile, other medications like beta blockers and ACE inhibitors , list coughing as a potential side effect. That said, there are some serious conditions that could be the source of your cough. You have two options for cough medicine here: dextromethorphan a suppressant or guaifenesin an expectorant.

If a wet cough is plaguing you, take a suppressant that includes a decongestant, which can provide relief without exacerbating your cough. To stop an unproductive or dry cough, stick to cough syrups with dextromethorphan or suck on a menthol cough drop before you fall asleep. Dealing with a cough is bad enough during the day. Coughing at night is super common, and it's caused by those same irritants. That prone position makes it harder for your body to keep your airways clear. If you have postnasal drip from a cold or the flu, "laying down can allow the mucus drainage to slide down into your throat, which will active your coughing reflex," says Dr.

Besides a cold, the most common causes of chronic nighttime coughing are GERD, postnasal drip, and asthma, says Dr. That worsening effect, though, could be due simply to your environment. Outside air coming from an open window can trigger asthma symptoms, and allergic reactions to dust mites in mattresses or pillows can keep you coughing into the wee hours, too.

That's all well and good, but you probably want to stop hacking ASAP so you can function at work the next morning. Over-the-counter OTC cough medications with an expectorant such as guaifenesin work by clearing the mucus and other secretions of a productive cough so that you can breathe easier. Take a cough suppressant. OTC cough remedies often contain dextromethorphan , which may provide temporary relief from a dry, hacking cough. Sip green tea.

Hot tea has been a cough remedy for hundreds of years. A review article published in August in Frontiers in Microbiology concluded that antioxidant-rich green tea may also help protect the body against viral and bacterial infections, including the flu.

Add honey for extra relief see nighttime tips, below. Stay hydrated. Getting enough fluids is always a good idea, and even more so when you have a cold, as staying hydrated helps to thin mucus and make coughs more productive, and potentially helps fight your infection. Water is ideal, but soothing chicken soup counts, too. Suck on lozenges. Cough drops are good for soothing a scratchy, dry throat and reducing the urge to cough.