Is It Better to Sleep in a Cold or Warm Room When Sick? - 7 Tips for Helping You Sleep Better With a Cold or the Flu
The flu season is always right around the corner – especially in these times - and a lot of people might experience cold and flu symptoms. Falling asleep with a stuffy nose might be too difficult, even leading to sleep deprivation at times. Depending on the extent of cold symptoms, you might need professional medical advice or some information on home remedies regarding the same. Whether you have a stuffy nose or a runny nose, these tips will help you breathe easier.
Cold symptoms include headaches, problem breathing, nasal congestion, and much more. Keep a check on all of them and control them even before they begin causing trouble in falling asleep.
If you cannot keep a check, do not hurt your head by stressing about the flu. A journal-based study suggests that one needs to sleep as per their body requirements instead of relying only on professional medical advice. Also, beware of any fake online sources which provide medical advice, else your common cold might get worse instead of getting better.
Importance of Better Sleep during Common Cold
Sleeping with a cold or flu might be the toughest night errand. As you continue to lie on the bed thinking about how sick you feel, the stress levels continue to make your health worse.
Though it is not possible to address individual circumstances, a doctor might ask you for some necessary personal information, including the duration of flu, etc. In addition, not getting enough sleep might further make you feel sick. If the mildly sick person does not get the desired amount of rest, health will continue to deteriorate as no medication works unless better sleep is ensured. But, on the other hand, it also lets the immune system fight back quickly.
Tips to Ensure a Good Night's Sleep
Longing for a good sleep while you have cold and flu symptoms? Then, follow these 7 steps and lie down on your bed (at the fixed bedtime).
- To ease congestion, use a neti pot (specially designed to aid in nasal congestion) and breathe slowly.
- Stay hydrated throughout the day and keep some water in your room as well (preferably near the bed) so that your body can function normally even when you are internally feeling sick.
- Do not use products that add moisture to your nasal passages (like inhaling steam).
- If you have a runny nose, avoid using the nasal spray, as it only increases the amount of moisture beneath your nose.
- Make sure your bed is not directly below a source of air.
- To soothe a sore throat, sip some warm saltwater or go for a saline rinse (ensures a clear throat).
- Take a hot shower before bedtime to sleep easier and wake up better (do not spend more than ten minutes under the hot shower).
Additional tips to Sleep Easier
- Adjust your bed to keep your head elevated; a foam wedge is recommended (it will surely reduce cold and flu symptoms and lead to good sleep).
- Keep track of body temperature before bedtime if you have any fever-like or flu-like problems in addition to the common cold.
- Ensure the room has a supply of dry air only, as moist air might make it difficult to sleep with a cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to fall asleep while you have a high fever?
It is impossible to fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed. Before bedtime, ensure that you have taken proper medications and relax even if you wake up immediately after sleeping. If you have an ache in your head, maintain the inflow of dry air. Better sleep is ensured if you follow the aforementioned sleeping guidelines.
2. What is the easiest way to sleep with a cold?
An old study suggests that sleep can act as the best medication for cold and flu, or fever. The easiest way to have a better sleep despite a cold is to take a hot shower before bedtime and take some deep breaths.
For nasal congestion, take some lozenges. Relax as much as you can, and you can easily sleep with a cold.
3. How to strengthen the immune system to prevent frequent cold symptoms?
For general informational purposes, many home remedies are available to prevent problems when you have your next cold or other health issues.
Including vitamin C in your diet is the most important of all. A general practitioner might even provide some extra medical advice (keeping in mind the dangers during the flu season).
4. Can you get better sleep despite a sore throat?
The answer depends on the other cold, and flu symptoms felt apart from having a sore throat. Certain flu relief medicines work on this issue as well. You can get a better sleep only if you drink some warm beverage before bedtime. Honey might also help.
5. How far is seeking treatment required?
Firstly, seeking treatment is not compulsory owing to individual circumstances. Sleeping with a cold and flu might feel worse at times but medications and home remedies are enough to soothe an ailing body.
Unless there is any medical emergency that hampers a better sleep, do not contact your doctor. At times, certain medications prescribed for nasal congestion even have some side effects (worse than the actual cold and flu) on your overall health.
Conclusion
Everyone deserves complete rest in the form of night sleep even while experiencing cold and flu symptoms. Though these sleep tips might help you fall asleep easily and help you relax during your next cold, you should not ignore professional medical advice. If you are reading this while being down with a cold and flu or fever, we hope you are able to relax a bit and have a peaceful sleep tonight. Let your body enjoy a better sleep routine to feel less sick in the days to follow.
The only way to ensure a good night's rest for your little ones is to follow all the sleep-related guidelines. So, good night and I hope you wake up in good health.
