Got a Cold? Yes, You CAN Sleep at Night..

Having a cold usually means you are too miserable to sleep. Coughing all night long, stuffy nose that keeps you from drifting off to sleep, tossing and turning all night long in discomfort. It's enough to make you want to cry, and with a cold lasting up to a few weeks or more, you can feel like you will never sleep again. Well, you can actually have a cold and get your rest too. It takes a little bit of work and effort, but oh man, it is so worth it...

Invest in a humidifier, pronto. Not only does a humidifier keep the air moist so you can breathe easier (and keeps your mucous membranes going strong so they can drain out that damn cold virus already), but the soft noise from a humidifier can actually lull you into sleep. Seriously. A humidifier is an absolute must in winter anyhow as it's great for your health and skin, but it will get you a great night's rest when you have a cold.

note: don't have a humidifier? Then take a hot, steamy shower right before you go to bed. Your sinuses will open up big-time, and that nice soothing shower will massage that tired skin and help you feel nice and ready to go sleepy-bye. You need to shower anyhow- why not shower right before bed when you have a cold so you can make yourself feel even better?

Is your cold medicine keeping you awake? If it has decongestants in the ingredients it is. Choose cold medicines with antihistamines in them which will make you sleepy. Diphenhydramine is a common allergy additive that can make you drowsy and clear up your sinuses at the same time. You may be better off just skipping the cold medicine and going for an alternative method instead to help clear up your sinuses, like peppermint tea mixed with honey. A safer alternative that will lull you to sleep while you heal.

A homemade saline solution to clear out your sinuses and help you breathe (while clearing out infection) is a great remedy to try before bed. Simply mix 1/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of baking soda, and a cup of warm water and flush out your sinuses (gargle a bit for a sore throat, too) before bed so you can sleep easy and breathe even easier. Ahh...

How you sleep can make you sleep better as well, or make it worse. Raise your head up when you go to bed so you can drain your sinuses as you sleep and not feel so stuffed up. Try sleeping on your back with 2 pillows underneath your head so you can breathe better, feel less stuffy, and not toss and turn so much. You'll sleep through the night (drink a soothing cup of chamomile, peppermint, or lemon tea with honey before bed to help relax you) and you'll wake up feeling almost like normal again.

Source:

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/health-tips-10/slideshow-colds-nighttime?ecd=wnl_day_110711