13 Ways To Sleep With A Cold - WikiHow Life

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Terms of UseHow to Sleep With a Cold Explore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Prop your head up with pillows. 2 Make the room dark. 3 Maintain a comfortable room temperature. 4 Set up a humidifier in your room. 5 Take a steamy shower. 6 Flush your sinuses with a saline solution. 7 Drink a hot beverage. 8 Gargle with saltwater. 9 Put on a nasal strip. 10 Use a nasal spray decongestant. 11 Take acetaminophen. 12 Try a cough medicine. 13 Use a mentholated gel. + Show 10 more... - Show less... Other Sections Expert Q&A Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Marc Kayem, MD and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: June 16, 2025 Approved

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This article was co-authored by Marc Kayem, MD and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Dr. Marc Kayem is a board certified Otolaryngologist and Facial Plastic Surgeon based in Beverly Hills, California. He practices and specializes in cosmetic services and sleep-related disorders. He received his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Ottawa, is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada. There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 90% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 118,286 times.

When you have a cold, resting up is essential to a fast recovery. Unfortunately, your cold symptoms might make it tough to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. Thankfully, there are a few ways you can adjust your surroundings and your medicines to get a more restful night's sleep when you have a cold. Keep reading to learn how you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Steps

1

Prop your head up with pillows.

1. Sleeping upright can help you breathe when you have a cold. Prop a few pillows behind your head, raising the top half of your body about 6 inches (15 cm) up. This position expands your chest, letting you breathe better.
   • Sleeping on your back may cause snoring. Just keep this in mind if you sleep next to someone else at night or you share a room.[1]
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2

Make the room dark.

1. Close your curtains and turn off all electronics. Light tells your brain to wake up, so extinguishing these sources can help you sleep. The darker it is, the faster you’ll fall asleep and the longer you’ll stay asleep.[2]
   • If you’re trying to sleep during the day, try using blackout curtains or a sleep mask to make it really dark.

3

Maintain a comfortable room temperature.

1. A room that’s too hot or too cold can be uncomfortable. Most experts recommend keeping the temperature between 65 and 72 °F (18 and 22 °C) for sleeping. When you’re sick, you might lean more toward the warmer side, but try not to make your room too hot.[3]
   • Keep a few extra blankets near your bed just in case you get cold during the night.
   • If you have a fever, you’ll probably feel colder than usual.
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4

Set up a humidifier in your room.

1. Humidifiers can ease congestion when you have a cold. Fill up your humidifier with water and turn it on before you go to sleep. Ideally, the humidity in your home should be between 30% and 50% to help you breathe easier. Moist air will clear out your sinuses and feel good on scratchy, sore throats.[4]
   • Use distilled water, and make sure to change the water out often, as well as put in a new filter periodically. Also, be sure to clean out the humidifier twice a week. Dirty humidifiers can increase bacteria in the air.[5]

5

Take a steamy shower.

1. Hot steam breaks down congestion. Before you head to bed, turn your shower on and let the steam fill up the bathroom. Sit in the bathroom for 5 to 10 minutes and breathe in deeply through your nose to break up your mucus.[6]
   • If you don’t want to hang out in the bathroom, you can also fill a bowl with hot water and put a towel over your head. Lean your face over the bowl and breathe the steam in for about 5 to 10 minutes.
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6

Flush your sinuses with a saline solution.

1. Remove congestion before you go to sleep so you can breathe. To make a sinus flush, mix 1/2 tsp (2.4 g) of non-iodized salt and 1/2 tsp (2.4 g) of baking soda into 2 cups (470 mL) of lukewarm distilled or previously boiled water. Pour the mixture into a neti pot or a bulb syringe and stand over the sink. Slowly squeeze or pour the mixture into one nostril and let it drain out the other side. Repeat this on your other nostril before heading to bed.[7]
   • Always use distilled or previously boiled water for a sinus flush. Straight tap water can introduce bacteria into your sinuses, which can lead to an infection.

7

Drink a hot beverage.

1. The warmth and steam will help break down congestion. Drinking fluids and eating soups also keeps you hydrated, which helps with congestion. If you’re going to drink tea, try an herbal blend. Avoid caffeinated drinks before bed, as they can keep you awake.[8] Advertisement

8

Gargle with saltwater.

1. Relieve the pain of a sore throat to fall asleep faster. Fill a glass with 1  c (240 mL) of warm water and 1 tsp (4 g) of salt, then let it dissolve. Gargle with the water mixture for about 30 seconds before spitting it out. Be careful not to swallow the saltwater, as drinking too much can make you sick.[9]

9

Put on a nasal strip.

1. Nasal strips open up your nasal passageways to help you breathe. Before you head to bed, stick a nasal strip on your nose to open up your nostrils. If you have the sniffles, using a nasal strip should help you fall asleep and stay comfortable throughout the night.
   • Nasal strips also help stop snoring, which is a great benefit if you share your bed with someone.[10]
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10

Use a nasal spray decongestant.

1. Decongestants help clear out your airways, making it easier to sleep. As an added bonus, nasal sprays work only on your nose, so they won't make you jittery or keep you awake like some oral medications can. Before you head to bed, use a nasal spray from the drugstore to clear out your sinuses and breathe a little easier.[11]
   • You should only use nasal spray decongestants for a couple of days, as overuse can increase inflammation of your mucous membranes.

11

Take acetaminophen.

1. It can help reduce body aches, fevers, and chills. Without those symptoms, you’ll be able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Find a pain reliever that contains acetaminophen to reduce your symptoms quickly. If you’re really having a tough time sleeping, you could take acetaminophen that makes you drowsy instead of a non-drowsy formula.[12]
   • Be careful not to mix acetaminophen with any cold medication that also contains acetaminophen. Taking too much can be harmful in the long-term.[13]
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12

Try a cough medicine.

1. It can help you get rid of a cough to sleep easier. Find a cough syrup or pill with a cough suppressant like dextromethorphan.[14] This works best on dry coughs that keep you up at night.[15]
   • If you have a wet cough, meaning you are producing mucus when you cough, talk to your doctor, especially if it's keeping you up. You may need to be treated with antibiotics.[16]
   • Cold medicines and cough syrups sometimes combine ingredients. Make sure you read labels so you aren't taking the same medicine twice. It's okay to alternate which medicine you take depending on the time of day, as long as you don't combine them at the same time.

13

Use a mentholated gel.

1. Rubbing mentholated gel on your chest can help you breathe easier. While it doesn’t necessarily open up your airways, it can trick your brain into thinking you’re breathing easier because of the cooling effect. Rub some on your chest or under your nose before you go to sleep to unclog congestion and breathe a little easier.[17]
   • You can find mentholated gel at most drugstores.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question Does a lack of sleep increase your chances of catching a cold? Marc Kayem, MD Sleep Specialist Dr. Marc Kayem is a board certified Otolaryngologist and Facial Plastic Surgeon based in Beverly Hills, California. He practices and specializes in cosmetic services and sleep-related disorders. He received his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Ottawa, is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada. Marc Kayem, MD Sleep Specialist Expert Answer Yes. When you don't get enough sleep for a prolonged period of time, it can compromise your immune system. This increases your chances of catching a cold. If you can get enough sleep, you'll be less likely to get sick. You'll also be less irritable, have an easier time concentrating, and find it easier to maintain a positive mood. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 9

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Tips

• If you have any questions about medications to help relieve your symptoms, you can talk to your pharmacist. They can give you advice about which over-the-counter medications will best help your symptoms, and they can advise you about which medications cannot be combined. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Warnings

• Don’t give cold medicine to a child under the age of 4. If you’d like to treat your child’s cold symptoms, ask your doctor about what medication is right for them.[18] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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References

1. ↑ Marc Kayem, MD. Otolaryngologist. Expert Interview
2. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/
3. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-the-ideal-sleeping-temperature-for-my-bedroom/
4. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-dos-and-donts-of-easing-cold-symptoms
5. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-you-can-tell-if-you-need-a-humidifier/
6. ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/shower-before-bed
7. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/what_to_do_about_sinusitis
8. ↑ Marc Kayem, MD. Otolaryngologist. Expert Interview
9. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-dos-and-donts-of-easing-cold-symptoms

More References (9)

10. ↑ https://www.sleepassociation.org/sleep-disorders/snoring/snoring-strips/
11. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/nasal-sprays-work-best-when-you-use-them-correctly-heres-how/
12. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000466.htm
13. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a681004.html
14. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682492.html
15. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351611
16. ↑ https://www.cochrane.org/CD004822/AIRWAYS_antibiotics-prolonged-moist-cough-children
17. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/expert-answers/nasal-decongestant/faq-20058569
18. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/should-you-give-kids-medicine-coughs-and-colds

About this article

Co-authored by: Marc Kayem, MD Sleep Specialist This article was co-authored by Marc Kayem, MD and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Dr. Marc Kayem is a board certified Otolaryngologist and Facial Plastic Surgeon based in Beverly Hills, California. He practices and specializes in cosmetic services and sleep-related disorders. He received his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Ottawa, is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada. This article has been viewed 118,286 times. 19 votes - 90% Co-authors: 26 Updated: June 16, 2025 Views: 118,286 Article SummaryX

To sleep with a cold, take a hot shower right before bed, which will clear up your sinuses and relax your muscles so it's easier to sleep. You can also try sleeping with an extra pillow or two so your head is inclined, which will relieve sinus pressure so you don't wake up in pain. If you're having trouble falling asleep because you're coughing a lot or your throat hurts, try taking some cough syrup or a pain reliever before you get into bed. To learn how to adjust the lighting and temperature in your room so it's easier to sleep, scroll down! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 118,286 times.

Reader Success Stories

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  T. W.

  Sep 30, 2018

  "I have a terrible cold, but propping myself upright a bit more with pillows has helped me sleep better. Thanks for..." more

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Marc Kayem, MD Sleep Specialist Co-authors: 26 Updated: June 16, 2025 Views: 118,286 90% of readers found this article helpful. 19 votes - 90% Click a star to add your vote

T. W.

Sep 30, 2018

"I have a terrible cold, but propping myself upright a bit more with pillows has helped me sleep better. Thanks for..." more

Grace Lee

Oct 11, 2016

"I now know that because I have a cold right now I can just add another pillow to help me sleep better."

Lola Coors

Feb 26, 2018

"Useful to know room temperatures (too cold or too hot) can keep you awake when you have a cold."

Emma Strausner

Mar 21, 2016

"Good job, it helped me sleep better!" More success stories Hide success stories

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