How Can a Good Night's Sleep Help Relieve a Sore Throat?

A sore throat can be an annoying and uncomfortable experience, especially when it keeps you up at night. But did you know that getting a good night's sleep can actually help relieve your sore throat? Let's explore how sleep can help, as well as some other tips for relieving your sore throat. Sleeping on an incline can help you breathe better and clear mucus, which can drip down the back of your throat and cause irritation. You can prop yourself up with pillows or elevate the head of the bed. If you have a sleep disorder such as sleep apnoea, your doctor may refer you to an ear, nose and throat doctor to rule out any structural blockages that may be causing your sleep problems.

At night, when melatonin levels rise to prepare the body for sleep, corresponding cortisol levels fall. This helps to reduce inflammation in the body, which can help relieve a sore throat. Additionally, research shows that sleeping less than 6 hours a night makes it almost four times more likely to develop a cold than those who sleep seven hours or more. And when you do get sick, adequate sleep helps you recover faster, in part because it maximises the antibodies your body produces to fight infection. If your sore throat is due to allergies, dry bedroom air, indoor air pollution or smoking, try to reduce these factors as much as possible.

When you want to sleep, turn off the lights, draw the blackout curtains and keep your bedroom as dark as possible. If you have a dry cough, a cough suppressant in the form of cough syrup will help you sleep better. Losing sleep over a sore throat is annoying, but the problem is likely to resolve itself after a few days. However, if your cold or sore throat has made you so uncomfortable that rest seems impossible, there are things you can do at home to relieve symptoms. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help reduce pain and inflammation.

Gargling with warm salt water can also help soothe a sore throat. There is no single solution to improving health and rest, but getting enough quality sleep is essential for overall wellbeing. From finding out how to buy a mattress online, to suggesting which ones are good for different needs and body types, to breaking down the latest science behind technological and wellness advances, Sleep Advisor has you covered.