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How to Sleep With a Sore Throat
- Staying hydrated, using a humidifier, and elevating your head during sleep may help soothe a sore throat irritation to help you sleep.
- Over-the-counter remedies, warm beverages, and saltwater gargles may provide temporary relief and support better rest while you recover.
- If your sore throat is severe, lasts longer than a week, or is accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing or swallowing, it’s important to contact your doctor.
The pain accompanying a sore throat can make it challenging to get a good night’s sleep. But falling short on sleep has been found to weaken the immune system, making it more difficult for your immune system to fight a virus associated with a sore throat.
Fortunately, there are several things you can to to help reduce throat pain, like gargling with salt water or drinking a warm beverage. Below, we’ll give you more strategies to ease a sore throat and promote quality sleep.
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1. Run a Humidifier at Night
A sore throat can worsen at night if the air in the bedroom is dry. Keeping the room environment humid counteracts air dryness by moistening the air, which may relieve some throat pain .
Ideal indoor humidity is 30% to 50% , which can be measured using a humidity gauge. If a room’s humidity falls below this level, a cool-mist humidifier can help regulate it. A humidifier can add moisture to the air as a person sleeps, potentially reducing unnecessary throat irritation. It is important to clean a humidifier regularly to limit mold and bacteria growth and spread.
If a humidifier is not available, running a warm shower instead may help. The steam from the shower mimics a humidifier’s steam release and may help a person’s throat feel better as they prepare to sleep. Experts recommend closing the bathroom door to keep the shower steam inside as a person breathes it in and out for several minutes to get the benefits.
2. Gargle Salt Water
No direct evidence suggests that gargling with salt water helps reduce throat pain. However, some people find that doing so offers relief from their sore throat . People can make a salt water gargle at home by combining one-quarter to half of a teaspoon of salt with an 8-ounce cup of warm water. This mixture can then be sipped, gargled in the throat for a few seconds, and spit out before lying down for the night.
If gargling salt water does not improve symptoms, a doctor might prescribe a gargle that can temporarily numb the throat to reduce pain during sleep. However, first the doctor may ask what other symptoms are present, if any, to determine whether this type of prescription might help the sore throat.
3. Take Over-the-Counter Pain Medication
Pain medications may relieve some of the pain of a sore throat, which could help with sleep if pain is interfering. Over-the-counter pain medications, like aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen, may all effectively reduce throat pain. Pain medication can take anywhere from one to six hours to work, so it should be taken early enough to have time to take effect before sleep.
People should check with their doctor before taking over-the-counter pain medication for a sore throat, as these medications may make some health conditions worse or interact with other medications. Also, some cold medicines marketed for a sore throat may already contain acetaminophen, making additional dosages potentially dangerous .
When over-the-counter pain medication is safe for an individual to use, experts generally recommend taking the lowest dosage to help a sore throat.
4. Try Throat Sprays or Lozenges
Throat sprays and lozenges can soothe a sore throat relatively quickly compared to taking pain medication. Since sprays and lozenges work more quickly, they may be helpful for people who need rapid relief right before they go to sleep.
Throat sprays may kill germs, contain pain-relieving medications that numb the throat, and reduce throat pain. Lozenges also reduce throat pain by numbing the throat with ingredients like menthol or dyclonine. Both products are widely available as over-the-counter medications.
Unfortunately, the soothing effects of throat sprays and lozenges may not last as long as effects of over-the-counter pain medications. However, a person who wakes up during the night with throat pain may be able to use more throat spray or suck on another lozenge before falling back to sleep. The printed instructions that come with the product should explain how frequently the spray or lozenges can be used.
5. Consume Warm or Cold Liquids
Warm liquids may soothe a sore throat. For example, a person may want to drink plain broth or a warm cup of tea before bed to receive relief. Adding honey to tea can also help by coating the throat, which may provide additional pain relief. Some research also suggests that certain types of herbal teas, like those containing licorice root, marshmallow root, or elm inner bark, may reduce throat pain.
Alternatively, cold liquids or cold, soft foods may provide relief to some people. Ice cream or frozen yogurt are a way to consume calories during a time when eating may feel difficult, and numb the throat for a temporary soothing effect. Similarly, sucking on a popsicle or ice chips before bed may help.
6. Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day
Having a sore throat can make swallowing painful, which may deter a person from drinking enough fluids . If a sore throat is caused by an illness with other symptoms, like fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, those symptoms may contribute to a loss of necessary fluids. Dehydration may occur when a person loses fluids or does not take in enough fluid. Dry mouth, a common side effect of dehydration, can lead to throat dryness, potentially causing more discomfort.
Generally, most adults should get at least 11 to 16 cups of water from food and drinks each day. How many glasses of water a person needs to drink varies, depending on their age, size, and how much fluid they receive from their foods. If drinking with a sore throat feels difficult, sucking on ice chips or popsicles can help you stay hydrated throughout the day and calm throat pain.
7. Sleep With Your Head Elevated
Elevating the head while sleeping may help relieve congestion that contributes to throat pain from excess mucus drainage. When lying down, nasal congestion may become worse, primarily because of changes in blood flow that affect vein size and pressure within the blood vessels of the sinuses and neck.
Sleepers with a sore throat from postnasal drip can try using a wedge pillow to keep the head elevated while sleeping to prevent congestion that may occur when lying on one’s back.
When to Talk to a Doctor
Most sore throats improve on their own within a few days to a week, especially when caused by a common cold or other viral infection. However, you should contact your doctor if your sore throat is severe, lasts longer than a week, or keeps you from getting adequate rest despite trying home remedies.
Seek medical attention promptly if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, signs of dehydration, a fever that doesn’t improve, swelling in the neck, or a sore throat accompanied by a rash. These symptoms may indicate a more serious infection or another underlying condition that requires treatment.
Additionally, if recurrent sore throats are regularly disrupting your sleep, talk to your doctor. Ongoing throat irritation may be related to allergies, acid reflux, sleep-disordered breathing, or another health issue that can interfere with both sleep quality and overall well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can sleeping with your mouth open cause a sore throat?
Sleeping with your mouth open may cause a sore throat, either directly or indirectly. When you breathe through your mouth, you bypass the nose and its ability to filter and humidify the air, drying up saliva.
Because saliva acts as a throat lubricant, when it’s depleted, it can cause the throat to feel dry and scratchy. Open-mouth sleeping can also be a cause of snoring, which causes vibrations that can further irritate the tissues in your throat.
Learning to breathe through your nose and sleep with your mouth closed can help alleviate sore throat symptoms. You can try changing your sleep position by elevating your head or sleeping on your side or using sleep aids like mouthpieces, nasal strips, or positional pillows.
Can lack of sleep cause a sore throat?
A lack of sleep has been linked to a sore throat. Anytime you don’t get quality sleep, it could have a negative impact on your immune system, which can make you more susceptible to the common cold or other ear, nose, and throat infections.
Lack of sleep that’s caused by snoring or breathing through your mouth can also contribute to a sore throat. Another example is among patients who have obstructive sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder, who often report symptoms including a sore throat. In fact, a chronic sore throat is sometimes one of the reasons a doctor might recommend going for a sleep study.
Does sleeping help a sore throat?
Oftentimes, a good night’s sleep can help you recover from minor illnesses, such as a sore throat, as it gives the body a chance to rest and recover.
To help create the ideal conditions for alleviating throat irritation, try propping yourself up with pillows, using a humidifier, taking over-the-counter throat lozenges or nasal sprays before bed, and avoiding caffeine and heavy meals. Sore throats that are persistent or result from infections (like strep throat) may require additional medications to see improvement, however.
Can sleeping in a cold room cause a sore throat?
Cold, dry, air-conditioned air takes the humidity out of the room, which can cause your mouth and throat to lose moisture and lead to irritation. Experts recommend adding a cool mist humidifier to your room to help replenish some of the moisture in the air. You should also keep AC filters clean to ensure air quality.
Medical Disclaimer: The content on this page should not be taken as medical advice or used as a recommendation for any specific treatment or medication. Always consult your doctor before taking a new medication or changing your current treatment.
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Jay Vera Summer is a writer, editor, and wellness coach. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in psychology and Master's degrees in both writing and public policy.
Dr. Abhinav Singh, board certified in Sleep Medicine and Internal Medicine, is the Medical Director of the Indiana Sleep Center, which is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at Marian University College of Medicine in Indianapolis, where he developed and teaches a Sleep Medicine rotation. Dr. Singh’s research and clinical practice focuses on sleep disorders, including excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, chronic snoring, insomnia, and sleep education.
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