Experts reveal why your cold is always worse at night – and offer tips to stop you coughing in bed

It’s officially cold and flu season. The average adult suffers between two and four a year, most of which will increase at this time.

And many will notice that the much-hated colds, muscle aches, and sore throats feel much worse after sunset. Now, experts have revealed exactly why that is.

There are several reasons, they say. But, above all, the answer lies in the body’s circadian rhythm, or internal biological clock.

Almost all bodily functions are programmed to function at maximum capacity at certain times of the day and relax at others.

For example, when the sun sets and the body senses that bedtime is approaching, the brain releases fewer stress hormones like cortisol and tells the gut to slow down digestive processes.

But certain immune cells become more active. These cells are designed to hunt and destroy pathogens such as viruses.

This “fight” triggers inflammation, an evolutionary tool that kills insects but is also responsible for the telltale cold symptoms.

‘YO“Immune cells can cause irritation and inflammation, which ends up making respiratory symptoms worse at night,” said Dr. Diego Hijano, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. New York Times.

The drop in stress hormones, such as cortisol, can make the problem worse, as the chemical can effectively calm inflammation.

Experts also highlight another important factor: Cough and cold symptoms simply get worse when you’re lying down.

This is because mucus begins to build up in the back of the throat, a problem doctors call postnasal drip.

“Throughout the day, mucus buildup is less of a problem because gravity helps drain it when you’re upright and moving,” said Dr. Juan Chiriboga-Hurtado, a family medicine specialist at Keck Medicine of the University of the South. Of California.

Finally, there’s the lack of distraction during the night, forcing you to focus on the irritating cough you can’t control.

So what can you do to achieve a restful night’s sleep?

Experts recommend simple things, like drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day to thin out mucus and using a nasal saline spray to remove some of the sticky fluid.

Others suggest using menthol cough drops (or throat sprays) to provide a cooling sensation in the throat and help combat the irritating tickle.

But it’s useless to try not to cough.

“There is no benefit in trying to suppress cough, since the reason you cough is because the body senses that it needs to get rid of some source of irritation,” says Dr. Anindo Banerjee, a respiratory consultant who works in a hospital. from United Kingdom.