The flu itself gets better quickly. Symptoms of high fever, headache, and general fatigue usually disappear gradually in about a week. However, many people say that the annoying cough after the flu never gets better and gets worse at night.

1. Dryness of The Respiratory Tract

When sleeping at night, the indoor air is dry or you breathe with your mouth open. The dry air enters the trachea directly without being moistened by the nasal cavity, which will irritate the respiratory mucosa and cause aggravation of cough.

2. Vagal Excitement

The vagus nerve controls the respiratory system at night. When the vagus nerve is too excited at night, it will cause coughing to worsen.

3. Low Temperature

Low temperatures at night can irritate the airways and easily worsen the patient’s cough.

4. Allergy Cough

If allergens are present in the sleeping environment at night, they may also irritate the respiratory tract and aggravate coughing.

5. Heart Disease

In patients with cardiac insufficiency, the amount of blood returned to the heart increases when lying down at night, causing symptoms of pulmonary congestion and may also increase nighttime coughing.

6. Bronchitis And Pneumonia

Patients with bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. may experience worsening coughing at night due to reduced sputum discharge and throat irritation when lying on their backs at night.

7. Other Factors

When coughing, attention should also be paid to ruling out cough variant asthma, gastroesophageal reflux irritated cough, upper airway cough syndrome, etc.

Many people take cough medicine when they cough, but doing so may not only prolong the course of the disease, but may also cause adverse drug reactions, so it is not recommended that you use cough medicine casually.

If you really have trouble falling asleep due to coughing at night, we recommend trying the following methods:

• Drink water: Drinking water can help dilute secretions and soothe the respiratory mucosa, which is good for relieving coughs.
• Booster Pillow: Putting more pillows to elevate the head or raising the head of the bed can create a slope for the respiratory tract, reduce the retention of mucus or phlegm, and play a certain role in relieving coughs.
• Humidify the environment: Too dry air and air pollution can irritate the respiratory tract and aggravate coughing. When sleeping at night, using a humidifier to improve the ambient humidity can help relieve cough symptoms.
• Pay attention to eating habits: Not eating before going to bed at night and not overeating at dinner can reduce the occurrence of nighttime coughs.
• Eat honey before bed: Honey can relieve coughs, dilute sputum and nasal discharge, and relieve sore throat. Babies and adults over 1 year old can take an appropriate amount of honey before going to bed when they have severe coughs.
• Clean nasal cavity before bed: A runny nose is one of the common causes of coughing that worsens at night. Washing and spraying the nose with physiological saline or physiological sea salt water can temporarily relieve nasal congestion, clear nasal secretions, and help relieve coughs.

If you have tried the above methods and your cough still doesn’t get better, you must consult a professional doctor to find out the cause and take appropriate medication.