In a state of illness, you may find yourself drifting off into a slumber on the couch or in bed all day. However depressing or infuriating this may be, it is quite normal and expected. While sleeping is the best way to overcome a daunting day, having a cold may hinder the ease of calmness of your slumber. In this time of great discomfort, proper rest is vital, as it is one way to help your body slow down, relax and recover from this illness. Thankfully, below are the 9 best positions to help achieve more restful nights while battling this distress:
5 Positions To Sleep Comfortably With A Cold
1 Keeping your head elevated:
this position may result in a coughless night. By sleeping in this position, elevation allows your chest and head to be upright or higher than your stomach, and this aids in reducing congestion. Simply stack a few pillows behind your head, allowing your top half to be elevated. Also note, sleeping in this position may cause snoring.
2 Sleeping on your side:
this position is known to be effective since lying on your side aids in boosting blood flow, which strengthens the immune system. Sleeping on the side also helps to alleviate a cold as it opens the airways and eases any bodily aches that arise from the cold. In addition, elevating your head with a pillow when sleeping on your side may be a great way to reduce congestion and provide comfort
3 Maintaining a cool room temperature:
while it is normal to overlook the room temperature on a regular night, when sleeping with a cold it is critical to maintain an appropriate room temperature. Proper room temperature may affect your quality of sleep positively. An appropriate sleeping temperature when you are fighting a cold is between 60-67°F (15.6-19.4°C). To maintain said temperature, you may need to:  Turn your air conditioner on or open windows if the temperature increases.  Utilize a fan near an open window to keep the air circulating.  Set the home thermometer at the recommended temperature while sleeping.
4 Sleeping with a humidifier:
humidifiers in your bedroom helps to prevent stuffy and congested airways. Therefore, it is critical to set a humidifier in the bedroom when you have a cold. To aid you in breathing, the humidity in your bedroom should be 30% to 50%. So, before heading to sleep, fill your humidifier with water ensuring it is clean. To prevent the spread of bacteria in the air, be sure to clean your humidifier at least twice weekly, changing the water and filter.
5 Eliminate the light:
welcoming the dark is an excellent way to sleep when dealing with a cold. The presence of light is a way of informing the brain to wake up and ignore sleep. The less light in your bedroom, the better it is to fall asleep calmly for longer periods. In the case of sleeping during the day, it is recommended to use blackout curtains and a sleep mask or try finding an area with less light to ensure darkness.
6 Taking a hot shower:
opting for a steamy shower before sleeping with a cold may be the best decision. Not only does it welcome a state of relaxation, but it also helps to drain and lessen the mucus caused by your cold, which makes breathing much easier. To make the process even better, the use of aromatherapy shower tablets or shower gels with peppermint or eucalyptus oil is heavily recommended. These aromas not only elevate the mood, but it also lessens congestion when inhaled.
7 Opting for nasal spray:
a nasal spray decongestant may be the best method of relief when combating a cold. This works by reducing swollen tissues in the nose. This in turn helps to decrease mucus buildup. In other words, decongestant helps to clear the airways and make your sleep much better. So, before catching a nap, use a nasal spray to help clear out your sinuses. Whether in the form of pills, sprays, or drops, be sure not to overuse nasal decongestants as they may lead to worsening symptoms or inflammation. Adhering to directions and doctor’s recommendations is essential.
8 Using a vapor rub:
this ointment comes in a medicated form and is applied topically to the throat, and chest. It may often contain ingredients such as eucalyptus oil, menthol, and camphor. These ingredients help to lessen the mucus, ease breathing, and suppress coughing.
It is important to note that while these may not treat a cold, they ease the effects and allow you to sleep more comfortably. Vapor rubs must be applied on the chest and throat area only. Since it may also cause skin irritation, it is necessary to do a patch test and skin before full application.
9 Utilizing saline nasal rinse:
to flush your sinuses, a saline solution to help with your congestion is highly recommended before sleeping. As it eases your breathing process, always ensure to you utilize distilled water to avoid bacteria or contamination. In addition, a squeeze bottle or nasal bulb may be used to rinse. Slowly squeeze the mixture into one nostril and let it drain out the other side. Ensure this process is also done to the other nostril.
Here is a bonus
Opting for cough medicine: a cough may alter your nap when battling a cold. Coughing may be uncontrollable and uncomfortable and tend to keep you up all night. Luckily, cough medicine is used to provide
temporary relief to said coughs. dextromethorphan may be best in A cough syrup or pill that contains dextromethorphan my be the best ingested to alleviate this discomfort.
However, since this works best with dry coughs, it is best to contact a doctor if you are producing heavy mucus.at this point, antibiotics are deemed the best treatment for ease.
TAKEAWAY
Congestions are the result of a cold and, while medications provide temporary relief, to discomfort, your sleeping methods are important., worsens your sleeping methods are important. , However, if a cold discomfort, consider visiting your doctor.