Does a cough keep you up at night? Bottom Line Personal turned to Jonathan Parsons, MD, director of The Ohio State University Cough Program, to understand the most common reasons for a dry cough at night and what to do about them.
Many people who have a persistent cough throughout the day become more aware of it at night when they are trying to get ready for sleep—it is more disruptive and frustrating than when you’re out and about. Here are five common reasons and how to find relief…
Acid reflux
Also known as GERD, reflux is one of the most common reasons for a chronic dry cough at night. When you lie flat, whether on your side, stomach or back, you lose the benefit of gravity and stomach acid can easily rise up into your throat and cause a cough. Solution: Follow your doctor’s guidelines for taking acid reflux medication after dinner and making lifestyle changes such as avoiding certain foods and not eating in the hours leading up to bedtime. Also, use a wedge pillow or a block to elevate the head of your bed and regain some gravitational advantage.
Post-nasal drip or sinus drainage
When you are upright, any congestion that needs to clear from nasal passages can drain. But when you lie down, much of that drainage goes down the back of your throat onto the voice box, causing a cough. Solution: Ask your doctor about a nighttime dose of a nasal steroid or an antihistamine. Using a wedge pillow also will help.
Allergies
Even if you regularly change your furnace filter, it can be hard to keep up when the heat is on all night and allergens are being blown through your home along with hot air. Being allergic to dust mites in particular can provoke even more coughing at night. Solution: Get tested if you suspect allergies. An air purifier in your bedroom is a great adjunctive measure to get rid of known environmental allergens. Also regularly wash and dry your bedding on high heat. Consider removing any carpeting in your room, and if you’re allergic to dog or cat dander, keep pets out of the bedroom at all times.
Remnants of a cold or flu
A dry cough at night can be from the very common post-viral syndrome, which lasts three to six weeks after the acute infection passed. Solution: Soothe a scratchy throat with home remedies for a dry cough at night such as a spoonful of honey, throat lozenges, warm water and tea.
Low humidity at home
Both your air conditioner and furnace can dry out the air in your home, and your respiratory system doesn’t like dry air. It can trigger not just a bit of coughing but a coughing fit. Caution: You might consider using a room humidifier but if it isn’t scrupulously cleaned on a regular basis, bacteria and other germs may be released into the atmosphere. And in truth, these machines are only marginally helpful in changing the humidity in a room unless they blast out lots of moist air. Better option: A whole-house humidifier, professionally installed by an HVAC company as part of your furnace, can humidify hot air right at the source. It may be particularly helpful for a dry cough caused by environmental rather than medical reasons. You also can use the same home remedies that soothe the remnants of a cold or flu above.
When to See Your Doctor
A cough that lasts eight weeks is considered a chronic cough and should be evaluated by a health-care professional. About 90% of people with a chronic dry cough have issues like post-nasal drainage, allergies or acid reflux. In fact, for some people, a dry cough at night is the first clue to these problems.
Though there can sometimes be a serious underlying issue—such as asthma, pneumonia, other lung diseases or heart failure—a dry cough at night is most often a quality-of-life problem. Through testing and history taking, your doctor can determine the reason and start you on appropriate therapy.
