When you start to come down with a cold, one of the first things people will tell you is to “Get some rest”, and “Go straight to bed”. Why is that? Does sleeping actually fend off some of the symptoms of a cold, or is that just an urban myth?
At Sleep MD, we’ve heard and seen it all. As a certified sleep doctor in New York City, Dr. Shukla wants patients to have the most valuable information that can give them practical help when they’re feeling under the weather. Can sleeping help a cold? Or does it just curb the symptoms?
It’s All About the Immune System
When a cold virus attacks your body, what part is it attacking?
The immune system.
This means that your immune system is fighting as hard as it can to ward off the harmful virus and all of its effects. Meanwhile, you are starting to feel feverish, achey, light-headed, and stopped up. This is what happens when the virus takes hold. In order to get rid of a cold, you need to strengthen the immune system. You can do that by sleeping. So, can sleeping help a cold?
Sleeping does not get rid of a cold, but it empowers your immune system. While you sleep, you are giving more energy to the immune system to fight this virus. So in essence, it really is good for you to get lots of rest while you have a cold.
Vicks offers other methods of fighting a cold while you rest. While there is no sure-fire cure, there are several things you can do to boost your immunity and get rid of the cold faster.
Sleep: One of the Strongest Medicines
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of sleep. Sleep doesn’t just help the immune system fight a cold; it helps your entire body and all of its systems to recover faster and more soundly. So while the answer to the question, “Can sleeping help a cold” is complicated. While sleep doesn’t help cure a cold, you can still “sleep off a cold” with ease. In fact, it’s encouraged.
Sleep.org came up with a guide to offer six different ways to sleep off a cold. These guidelines are what we live by at Sleep MD NYC as well, and we encourage all of our patients to practice healthy sleep habits. This is doubly important when you are dealing with a viral infection or a common cold.
Some other ways to help sleep off a cold include:
- Use a humidifier while you sleep. This will ensure that moisture remains in the air which will keep your sinuses from getting too dry.
- Drink soothing tea. A cup of hot tea or hot soup broth before bed is a great way to give your immune system a little boost before sleep. This will clear up your sinuses and give your body a better chance at fighting extra hard while you catch some much-deserved zzz’s.
- Shower before or after sleep. Try taking a steamy shower before bed. Much like the humidifier and the tea, this is a great way to clear your sinuses and restore a little bit of strength to your body, for you’ll certainly be using every bit of it to fight the cold.
If you can’t sleep, you can still be as restful as possible. Do quiet activities and don’t do anything to put your body into too much use, so you can save your strength. If you are having trouble sleeping in general, contact us for a sleep study in NYC.
Best Sleep Doctor NYC
Can sleeping help a cold? You bet! Dr. Shukla wants you to get a good night’s rest so you can take the next day by storm. Dealing with a cold is never fun, but proper sleep can certainly move the process along. For more information, or to schedule a sleep consultation, please contact us online or give us a call at (212) 661-7077!
