“Cool air from an open window can help people breathe better, unless the air is very dry,” Dr. Benninger says. Fans also can dry the air, but the soothing white noise may lead to better sleep.
Maintain a consistent room temperature.
Dry air can worsen your cold symptoms and parch your nose and throat. Use a humidifier to keep the air moist or open up a window for fresh cool air – just don't let the snow in.
Sleeping with an open window can negatively impact your health as well. While cold air itself can't make you sick — colds and flus occur because germs overwhelm a person's immune system — it can potentially dry out nasal cavities, resulting in increased mucus production and a possible sinus infection.
Keeping your home well-ventilated
Ventilation is most important if someone in your household has COVID-19, or when you have visitors in your home. Opening windows and doors is the easiest way of improving ventilation. Also open any window vents or grilles.
Allergies. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is a common allergy that can cause a sore throat. Allergens such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander, and mould can cause the throat to become inflamed and irritated. If you sleep with an open window you may be exposed to these allergens overnight.
Cold air can dry out the tissue in the throat and can cause severe irritation.
Leaving your windows open at night is a great way to ensure fresh air, but also opens you up to some potential risks. The biggest consideration is the safety and security of your home. If you leave your windows open, there is an increased chance that a criminal may use these to gain entry into your home.
The single most effective way to avoid Carbon Dioxide build-up is to keep windows open while you sleep. This allows fresh oxygen in, as well as allowing Carbon Dioxide to escape naturally. Another important factor in choosing to keep windows open at night is for temperature control or thermoregulation.
When the temperature outside is lower, pleasantly cool air may enter your house. It is worth leaving the windows open a fraction at night - thanks to that we will have more comfortable conditions to rest. Open the windows on opposite sides of the house. This way you can ventilate the rooms much faster.
Do fans trigger coughing? Dry air, whether from the fan, air conditioner, or heater, can trigger coughs. You can use a humidifier to add moisture to the air. Moist air also prevents the circulation of dust mites and other indoor air allergens, irritating your nasal passage and throat.
Many people like sleeping in a cool room, but don't make it so cold that you wake up shivering in the middle of the night. When you're feeling sick, you might want to consider raising the temperature a little, rather than letting the thermostat drop. Just don't forget to change it back when you're feeling better.
According to pulmonologist Dr. Michael Scharf, inhaling cold air may cause bronchial irritation and cough. If you have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the cold air “may induce bronchial tightening or constriction leading to cough, wheeze and shortness of breath.”
Best sleep positions if you have a cough
“Elevating your head is probably the best sleeping position,” she notes. “Whether it's by adding another pillow or raising the head of your bed, this can help your cough by not allowing drainage to collect at the back of your throat too much.”
Elevate Your Head and Neck
If your cough seems to worsen once you lie flat, try propping up your head and neck. Use a wedge pillow or multiple bed pillows to make yourself comfortable while lying in a position that keeps your head elevated above the rest of your body.
Generally, if your house is decently insulated, keep the windows and blinds closed when the sun is shining. Open the windows in the evening and at night. More specifically, keep the windows closed when the outside temperature is hotter than it is inside, and open the windows when it's cooler outside than inside.
In a recent study, Canha and colleagues found that closed doors and windows led to higher levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other substances such as formaldehyde. “Sleep is essential to our life in several areas: health, well-being and productivity,” Canha told Reuters Health by email.
If the nighttime temperature is similar to or below what you have your thermostat set to, opening your windows at night is generally always a better option than running your air conditioning.
“Cool air from an open window can help people breathe better, unless the air is very dry,” Dr. Benninger says. Fans also can dry the air, but the soothing white noise may lead to better sleep. “I suggest facing the fan away from you.
Research from UL's Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FRSI) shows that closing your bedroom door helps prevent a fire from spreading, lessens smoke damage and could even save lives.
Sleeping in a cold room helps to boost your metabolic process, which in turn helps to lower the risk of suffering from diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. It also boosts the production of growth hormones which help to repair damaged muscle tissues and bone fractures.
Chronic dry coughs are usually caused by irritation from cigarette smoke, environmental irritants, allergies, post-nasal drip, or asthma. Several chronic lung diseases also cause a dry, hacking cough. Some people cough out of habit for no clear reason. Gastric reflux may also cause a chronic dry cough.
Tickly coughs are most often caused by a recent cold or flu, known as a post-viral cough. If this is the case, you will likely experience other cold and flu-like symptoms too. Other tickly cough causes include allergies, air pollution or a sudden change in temperature.
Various health conditions can cause a nighttime cough. They include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), a postnatal drip, and asthma. A doctor may carry out tests to identify an underlying cause and treat it appropriately.