Cold and flu season is definitely on its way. A virus like this can make us feel really unwell and whilst we may feel exhausted and worn out, sleeping with a cold and its symptoms can be very difficult.
To help you and others in your family, Dr Lindsay Browning offers seven recommendations to aid recovery and to reduce sleep being disrupted by a cold or flu.
7 ways to aid recovery and help sleeping with a cold
1 – Keep your head elevated
Going to bed after a long day’s work is usually one of the nicest parts of the day, but when you lean back and can’t breathe out your nose, the experience may be slightly ruined.
To help you drift off, try sleeping with your head slightly elevated. You can use an extra pillow. This will help alleviate post nasal drip building up, as well as helping you breathe easier.
You may find it easier to breathe if you sleep on your side rather than prone on your back.
2 – Drink plenty of water
If you keep hydrated, this can help to thin the mucus making it easier to cough up and expel, as discussed in this 2018 article.
Keep a glass of water by the bed and regularly drink water throughout the day. In addition, according to a trial in this 2008 Rhinology article, a hot drink may be even more effective at loosening the mucus.
3 – Change your bedding regularly
Changing your bedsheets may seem like a big chore – especially when you’re feeling under the weather – but you could be exposing yourself to more bacteria if you fail to do so.
It’s important for everyone to change their bedding regularly (ideally every 1-2 weeks), due to a build up of sweat and dead skin cells.
When we are feeling unwell we may spend much longer in bed than usual, and may be feverish and sweating more, therefore we may need to change the sheets more frequently than usual. Definitely wash your sheets on a hot wash once you are feeling better to kill any cold and flu viruses that may remain in the bedding.
4 – Maintain a consistent room temperature
When you’re ill, your body temperature regularly fluctuates from hot to cold, but make sure you don’t set your room temperature to hot or cold.
The ideal bedroom temperature is 16-20°C overnight for sleep, but if you are staying in bed all day, you may need to raise the daytime temperature to at least 18°C before lowering again it overnight. A review, in the Public Health Journal in 2023, of indoor temperatures and the effect on health revealed that “evidence suggests that indoor temperatures <18°C are associated with negative health effects”.
Be mindful that dry air can also irritate your sinuses, so investing in a humidifier may help add moisture to the air which will make it easier for air to get through your nasal passages as you sleep.
Make sure that you regularly clean your humidifier and change the water to prevent any mould or bacteria building up.
5 – Keep your bedroom dark
When you’re sick, you want to ensure you have the best night’s sleep possible, so keeping your room dark will help you sleep through the night. Use blackout curtains to make sure outside light doesn’t affect your sleep or use an eye mask.
It’s also important to keep the lights low before you get to sleep. Many people think that reading or watching TV will help you fall asleep before bed when you’re ill, but the light can keep you awake longer and make it more difficult to fall asleep.
Avoid using electronics at least 30 minutes before bed and keep lights cosy and dark.
6 – Take a warm shower or bath before bed
A hot shower will provide some temporary relief from congestion by thinning out the mucus. Take a few deep breaths from the steam to clear up your sinuses.
A warm bath is also beneficial for promoting sleep because as you get out of the warm water and start to cool down, this drop in temperature will help you feel sleepy.
If you’ve got a bad case of the chills, having a warm shower can also warm you up and relax your body as well as alleviating muscle tension from shivering. However, make sure you’re not exposed to high temperatures for a long period of time as this could cause dehydration and overheating.
7 – Avoid caffeine and alcohol
As tempting as it may be, caffeine and alcohol are two substances that can disrupt your sleep and lower your sleep quality, whilst also worsening your cold and flu symptoms.
Caffeine has an average half-life of 6 hours, meaning that 6 hours after your last cup of coffee, half of the caffeine is still in your system. Not only is it found in tea and coffee, but also chocolate and soft drinks. Therefore, it’s best to avoid caffeine after around 2pm.
Rest and relax to recuperate
When we are ill, it can be easy to worry about getting better and getting better quickly. Not sleeping or even worrying about not being able to sleep with a blocked nose, sore throat or cough can be distressing. However, it is important to try not to panic if you can’t sleep. Resting is equally important.
If you are really struggling to fall asleep, it may be beneficial to get up for a short while to help your body calm down and reset. Remember that if you are unwell, you are likely to have disrupted sleep so be kind to yourself and follow your body’s lead.
…and I hope you feel better soon!