Today we are going to solve one of the biggest problems of mankind: falling asleep with a cold! There is nothing more obnoxious, if not (perhaps) the pebbles in a narrow shoe. Here's how to sleep with a stuffy nose.
1 - How to sleep with a stuffy nose: Use dear old steam
A grandmother's advice: take a saucepan, fill it with water and boil it. Then remove it from the heat, place your face just above it and a piece of cloth (or whatever you have on hand) to insulate yourself from the outside environment.
The combination of steam and high temperatures is deadly for mucus and after a few minutes you will feel alive again. Bonus benefit: the heat dilates the nostrils and the airways in general.
The feeling won't last forever (that would be too nice), so go to bed immediately afterwards!
2 - Keep the room warm
For maximum relief, try to keep the bedroom warm. When you sleep: mild temperatures are ideal for viruses, which become more active and dangerous.
Which leads to an additional tip: Grandma's remedy is to never not go out in the cold when you have a cold. The opposite must be done! Go outside so you're not always in the middle of the unhealthy bacteria you're carrying.
3 - Take a hot shower
Even better would be to take a bath (which is much more relaxing than a shower), but not everyone has half an hour to spare every night.
The benefits of showering are similar to those of smoke vapours. Here, water in direct contact with the skin helps even more, as it contributes considerably to increase the surface temperature of the body.
4 - Do you take any medication?
If you want to know how to sleep with a stuffy nose, the question of medication is central.
Antihistamines that are often used to fight colds cause drowsiness, which is good at night but bad during the day. If you feel too tired even in the morning, try limiting them a bit. The risk is to take daytime naps caused by too much fatigue, which will make it difficult to fall asleep when needed.
A bonus: vitamin C is important, but you need to know how to take it. A tangerine is able to restore vitamin stores, and if you eat more of it, the excess will be immediately eliminated by the kidneys. The fact is that these maximum stocks run out very quickly: the ideal is to eat three tangerines (or oranges) a day: in the morning, afternoon and evening to sleep with a stuffy nose.
5 - Gargle with salt water
This advice should be applied at the same time as that of steam: if high temperatures help to clear the upper respiratory tract, water and salt are perfect for dissolve phlegm that has been trapped in the throat.
6 - Don't rely too much on nasal sprays
These drugs help decongest the nose, but they also tend to dry it out, giving you that typical awkward feeling. If your nose feels too dry and you're using a nasal spray, ditch it in favor of Grandma's method above.
7 - Use the nasal strips
Athletes also use nasal strips to breathe better. And if they work in sport to open the nostrils, they will work when you sleep.
8 - Gel the menthol
These gels spread over the chest work and work well. Plus, they smell fantastic!
This tip doesn't work for everyone: someone may not like the idea or the feel on the skin. To dispel any doubt, try it personally.
9 - Don't look up
Are you used to sleeping with big pillows? The bad news is that this tends to block the airways. Better not to use a pillow when you have a cold.
Your airways will thank you!
10 - Sleep regularly
If you need sleep, your body can't manage your immune defenses properly, and you're more likely to get sick more easily (and stay sick longer). So, as always, take good care of your body.
11 (Bonus!) How To Sleep With A Stuffy Nose By Stimulating Your Unconscious
Fighting the unpleasant feeling of a cold is not easy on a conscious level, you cannot concentrate and decide to fall asleep when the situation is critical. Indeed, you feel an unpleasant sensation, your brain interprets it as a warning sign and you have trouble sleeping.
The only way to fight one signal from the unconscious is with another signal from the unconscious: remember that if the rational and irrational minds disagree, the latter will always win.
