Discover the Easy Solution to Banish Nighttime Coughing for Good!

What can be more frustrating than having a cough? Have a cough that occurs more frequently or is worse at night. It affects how much you can relax, fall asleep and stay asleep, and get the rest you so need to recover.

“During sleep, the body regulates our production of cytokines, signaling proteins that our immune system produces to fight invading pathogens like viruses and bacteria,” says Vontrelle Roundtree, MD, associate medical director of Evernorth’s MDLIVE. “If you have a persistent cough that causes you to wake up frequently during the night, it compromises your sleep quality, potentially affecting your body’s cytokine regulation and making it harder for your immune system to fight and recover from illness.”

Not only does a cough affect your ability to overcome any illness that may cause it, it can also cause you to have more symptoms that further affect your night’s rest. “Cough can also cause dry throat and mouth, postnasal drip, and physical discomfort that makes for a less than restful sleeping experience,” says Roundtree.

Nighttime cough can occur and worsen for many reasons. It can be caused by problems with the lungs and airways, such as infection, postnasal drip, allergies, and asthma. These can cause a cough that is worse at night, says Dr. Samuel Mathis, an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch. For example, “in lung infections, lying down helps the cilia [little ‘hairs’ in our lungs] to move mucus out of the lungs more effectively, and the cough reflex is our body’s attempt to get rid of excess mucus,” he says.

Roundtree says that “moving around throughout the day makes it easier for the body to loosen trapped mucus. When we lie down to rest at night, this position can make it more difficult for our body to clear this mucus naturally, resulting in what we call postnasal drip: nasal secretions that accumulate in the back of the throat and “They cause that annoying cough.”

Nighttime cough can also be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux. “GERD occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, irritating its lining, and potentially reaching the back of the throat,” says Roundtree. “The act of lying down can make the reflux worse and then, of course, you may cough more,” says Sarah McBane, PharmD, associate dean of pharmacy education at the University of California, Irvine School of Pharmacy.

“To combat nighttime coughs due to GERD, elevate your body on an incline to prevent mucus buildup, which will allow for a calmer, less interrupted night’s sleep,” he says.

Other conditions that can cause coughing fits include heart failure and sleep apnea, Mathis says.

You may also have a nighttime cough when you are taking medications such as ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure. These are known to have a dry cough as a side effect, says Mathis.

Our body’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that helps manage important bodily functions (including sleep and immune response), may also play a role, Roundtree says. “Some parts of immune function are more active during the night and early morning, which explains why you may feel worse during those hours. While this natural response helps fight the bacteria that make you sick, it can also cause many of our sick symptoms during that time, such as congestion, fever, and increased nighttime coughs.”

How to manage a nighttime cough depends on its severity and its cause, says Roundtreee. She advises seeing a doctor if your cough is constant, very intense, and has other concerning symptoms.

In the meantime, you can try this expert tip to control a mild cough at night:

1. Keep hydrated. This can help loosen mucus and make it easier to pass, says Roundtree. Be sure to provide your body with plenty of fluids. You can do this by drinking water as often as needed and eating water-rich foods like melons, pineapples, strawberries, and oranges.
2. Drink herbal tea with honey and lemon.. Mathis recommends teas for coughs due to upper respiratory infections, allergies, and postnasal drip. “A simple and very effective cough remedy is an herbal tea with honey and lemon at night,” says Mathis. “Honey helps coat the throat and prevents irritation and the cough reflex. Lemon has anti-inflammatory qualities that can help with coughing.” You can also try other hot teas, as they can be helpful in soothing a scratchy throat, says Roundtree.
3. take honey. It is a natural cough suppressant that helps reduce how often you cough and the severity of your cough, says Roundtree. “Consider natural or locally grown honey as a plus,” she says.
4. Cough drops. These are useful short-term solutions to soothe a scratchy throat and stop persistent, persistent coughs, says Roundtree. “They cause the mouth to produce more saliva, thus coating the throat and helping with the itchy sensation.”
5. Take a steam shower. Steam from the shower adds moisture to the air, which can help open your airways and loosen secretions in your nose, says Roundtree. Take a steam shower before bed to relieve coughs and help your body relax for a better night’s sleep.
6. Think about what and when you eat.. If your nighttime cough is due to GERD, McBane recommends avoiding heavy, spicy, greasy, and late-night foods because they can worsen GERD symptoms and lead to nighttime coughing. Foods rich in fiber, water, and alkaline can improve your symptoms. So consider eating them at least 3 hours before bed. These foods include bananas, brown rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, watermelon, carrots, cucumber, pineapple, and soupy soups.
7. Try Over-the-Counter GERD Medications. “Some over-the-counter medication options include antacids like Tums or medications that block acid production like famotidine (Pepcid) or omeprazole (Prilosec),” says McBane. “These medications can help with reflux-related nighttime coughs by decreasing the amount of acid that irritates the throat and causes the cough.”
8. take an antihistamine. Antihistamine medications, which help with allergies, may be helpful for nighttime coughs due to postnasal drip. McBane suggests taking an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or loratadine (Claritin). He adds that they can help with coughs related to postnasal drip by drying out nasal mucus, meaning there will be less fluid to build up in the back of the throat and irritate the tissues there.
9. Lie down with your head raised. If your cough is caused by GERD, one of the easiest remedies is to elevate the head of the bed 4 to 6 inches, says Mathis. “Just a slight tilt is enough to allow gravity to keep stomach acid in the stomach.” McBane suggests elevating the head of the bed using bricks or blocks.
10. Use a humidifier. “If your cough is due to dry air, consider using a humidifier. Try to keep the humidity between 40% and 50%,” says Mathis. “More than that could make the cough worse or increase the risk of infection.”
11. Reduce allergens in your home. If your cough is due to allergies, reducing the amount of allergens around you can help prevent it. A good tip is to clean and dust your home regularly to prevent dust buildup, says Mathis. You can also invest in a HEPA filter to remove allergens from the air. If you have pets, have them sleep outside your room. Also wash your bedding regularly.
12. Consider over-the-counter (OTC) medications. When all else fails, an over-the-counter cough medicine can provide relief, says Roundtree. “One containing dextromethorphan would be better at blocking the cough reflex, while one containing pseudoephedrine may help stop the increase in postnasal drip at night.” Still, he advises talking to a health professional before starting any medication.

If these tips don’t help your cough, or if your cough lasts more than a couple of weeks, McBane recommends seeing a doctor.

Roundtree also recommends seeing a doctor if your cough lasts more than a few days and you have other symptoms such as chest pain, nausea, wheezing, or a high fever. Mathis agrees, saying that if you cough up blood, have trouble breathing, and your legs or feet swell, you should see a doctor. “They can help you identify the cause of your cough and treat the underlying problem.”