Why do I cough at night?

Many people have a feeling that if they have symptoms of coughing, the cough is more severe at night than during the day. Some people have no problems during the day, but start coughing non-stop at night and feel very uncomfortable. Many people want to know why they cough at night? In fact, there are many reasons for this situation. It may be caused by indoor air or improper diet. Let's learn about it together~

1. Why do you cough at night instead of during the day?

Why do I cough at night instead of during the day? It is probably related to the indoor environment. If the indoor environment is too dry, it is easy to cough. In addition, you should also consider whether it is a symptom of chronic pharyngitis.

1. Coughing is more severe when lying down

When you sleep at night, because your body is lying flat, the abdominal organs and the diaphragm (the boundary between the chest and abdomen) are pulled up, which can lead to restricted lung relaxation. Therefore, coughing symptoms are more severe at night than during the day.

2. Detoxify your lungs at night

Coughing can clear foreign objects from the throat and bronchi, and is also a way for the body to detoxify. 3-5 a.m. is the best time for the lungs to detoxify, so when there is a cough, many people cough most violently at this time.

3. Blood and Qi Circulation at Night

Between 1 and 3 a.m., the body's blood and qi flow to the lung meridian. The lungs begin to self-regulate and repair themselves, and a slight cough at this time is normal. However, if you smoke, your cough will be more severe at night.

4. Nocturnal vagus nerve excitement

The nerves around the bronchi of the lungs include the vagus nerve. At night, the vagus nerve is relatively active. The excitement of the vagus nerve will increase the secretions of the trachea and bronchial tubes of the lungs and stimulate the contraction of the tracheal and bronchial smooth muscles. Therefore, when there is a cough, the cough is relatively severe at night.

5. Improper eating before bed

If you consume spicy and irritating food for a long time, it is easy to cause excessive lung fire and trigger cough. Especially eating too much before going to bed at night may cause the stomach and intestines to not get proper rest and cause food accumulation cough. If the cough at night is caused by indigestion, you can feel phlegm in the throat.

6. The air in the sleeping environment is dry and not circulated

When sleeping at night, many people are accustomed to closing doors and windows, which makes the indoor air turbid, with low oxygen content and high waste content, thus stimulating the lungs and causing coughing. You should open the windows for ventilation before going to bed, and keep the windows open when sleeping to facilitate air circulation. In addition, it is recommended to dry water in the bedroom or place some green plants outside the window before going to bed, and water them frequently to effectively maintain indoor humidity.

7. Allergic reaction to sleeping supplies

If you rarely or not cough during the day, but start coughing at night when you go to bed, you should consider respiratory allergies, which may be related to the quilts and pillows you use. The allergens may be cotton wool, dust, mites, etc.

Why is coughing worse at night than during the day?

Cough is a common respiratory symptom caused by inflammation, foreign bodies, physical or chemical stimulation of the trachea, bronchial mucosa or pleura. Cough has a protective effect of clearing foreign bodies and secretions from the respiratory tract. If the cough is not treated well, it will turn from acute to chronic, causing great trouble to people.

I don't cough during the day but at night, and the indoor air is relatively dry. In this case, I think it has something to do with your house. The dry air in the house will have less moisture, and if you stay there for a long time, your throat and organs will become dry, and I will cough. It is also possible that you have chronic pharyngitis, which can be aggravated by indoor dryness.

You can put a basin of water or a humidifier in the house at night to increase the indoor humidity, thereby reducing or avoiding coughing. Otherwise, go to the hospital for a check-up to see if you have chronic pharyngitis to avoid delaying treatment.