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Sleeping problems

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Hello. I'm new to the forum - just wondered if anyone has any ideas to help with calming the cough enough to sleep. I'm in the third chest infection in 4 months (on prednisolone and anti-bs). Unless I sit upright and stay awake, i start to cough badly. Ventolin does not seem to be touching it (up to 12 puffs now). I'm trying to let my husband get some sleep but could do with some myself too! I know mine is nothing compared to what many of you are putting up with and I'm sorry to moan on a first posting, but I'd really appreciate any tips.

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10 Replies

hi, and welcome. some sleep sitting up, it does crop up on here now and again, try the search box on the right for cough and sleep, may throw up a few threads with some handy advice.

Chris

Hi

A respiratory nurse at the hospital once advised me to to sleep on the right hand side, slightly elevated, ive always found this has helped with mild coughing, once the real barking cough starts, i havent found a better way than sitting upright. One piece of advice i have found invaluable is keeping my bedroom cool, even in the coldest of weathers. Keep your bedsheets pulled back also to allow your bed to breathe and change weekly. Hope this helps and good luck.

Ria. x

Snodropliz

Welcome Snowdrop liz ,try putting somthing under your bed to raise head,better than pillows with stiff neck.

I use a cough med at night when to bad.

try honey and lemon and try sleep on side,left side better as right lung takes more space and better to help shift rubish .love Glynis

Cool bedroom

I think i now know what has helped me sleep better and reduce my coughing at night now.

My hubby did not agree but as he sleeps away 4 nights in the week he has no say, i turned the radiators off in the bedroom and when he came home refused to put them on again.

it worked, was just a wild guess with me as i felt the air was to dry.

Lots of advice in here.

H Mama Heather

h mama i agree with u a cool not cold bedroom is the easiest way to sleep im now in the 11th week of my latest exacerbation and and i'm still only managing to sleep around 4 hours a night ( however im used to this) so sleep is a precious thing at the moment. I also suggest u buy a cough med but get a good one so ur not having to use every hour lol!!

Sleep? What's 'sleep'? ;)

Thanks so much to you all for the advice. I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner, but had to go into hospital. Now back home and will try out all the suggestions.

Witrh my last infection which I am still battlin gafter a 5 day course of preds and 7 days anti-bios I have found that when I have my heatin gon if I stick a wet towel over the radiators it seems to take the drness out fo the air. I also have been taking a honey and lemon glysarin cough syrup as soon as I have taken my bed-time inhalers and I know take a long hot bath everynoight with radox destress in it. Not sure why but breathing in the vapours from that seems to be helpin gmove the gunk of my chest. As for sleeping I m only getting between 3-5 hours sleep a day. I have had to start taking a nap dueing hte day when my youngets goes down for his nap and leave my hubbie to deal with the older 2. I have been sleepin gon my left side with my left leg straight and my right leg bent at a 90 degree angle over the top of my left leg proped up to about a 45 degree angle. The coughing seems a lot easier and the sleep I am able to get is quality undisturbed apparently hardly coughing sleeping as well.

So sorry othear you ended up in hospital but I hgope th einfection clears up soon and you can start getting some long term quality sleep very soon

Hi,

Sorry I cnat help much. Me and my con have been scratching our heads of trying to think of things to stop my cough and wheezyness at night. I hardly get any sleep because of symtoms and it is really getting to me now as I need my sleep now and cant function properly on the little sleep I get.

Hope you find something.

Olive

Quick update. Tried lots of the things you suggested and seem to find the following combination works best at the moment - gentle arm stretches, taking meds in a steamy bath, camomile tea, 4 new pillows and window open. Made it through 3 hours straight last night - brilliant. Did also try a relaxation tape, but the first instruction was to take 6 deep breaths. Need I say more ....(lol)! MInd you, it might just be that the pred is doing its job - hope it stays that way when it stops on Thursday. Really hope the rest of you manage to get some relief soon. It's so miserable when you're exhausted.

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