Tips for How to Sleep While Sick

When illness strikes, getting quality rest becomes both more important and more challenging. Your body needs sleep to heal and fight off infections, but symptoms like congestion, coughing, body aches, and fever can make it nearly impossible to get comfortable. But that’s where we come in — with effective solutions for how to sleep while sick.

The foundation of good rest, whether you’re sick or healthy, starts with having a comfortable, supportive mattress. If you’re struggling to sleep even when you’re feeling well, it might be time to evaluate your sleep setup. 

Take our Sleep Quiz to find your perfect mattress so you can get the quality sleep you need every night, no matter how you’re feeling. The results are sent right to your email.

Why can’t I sleep when I’m sick? 

While there can be a multitude of reasons why you can’t sleep when sick, common culprits include: 

• Congestion that makes breathing difficult
• Post-nasal drip that triggers coughing
• Body aches that make finding a comfortable position tough
• Fever that disrupts your body’s natural temperature regulation 

Basically, your body needs to be calm and relaxed in order to get the proper rest you need each night, and illnesses tend to disrupt that.

How to sleep while sick: our expert tips

Trust your body’s need for extra rest

While this might seem obvious, you would be surprised how many people try to avoid resting while ill. When sickness hits, rest is the best remedy. How much sleep do I really need? The answer changes when you’re sick, as your body requires extra rest to recover. Because your immune system does much of its repair work during sleep, you might need 10–12 hours instead of your usual 7–9 hours. Although you may get restless, this extra rest is precisely what your body needs to heal.

Don’t fight your body’s signals to sleep more than usual. Quality rest on a comfortable, supportive mattress will help you recover faster, and will help strengthen your immune system for fewer sick days down the road.

Elevate your head with an adjustable foundation

When you’re dealing with congestion, sinus pressure, or post-nasal drip, lying flat can make your symptoms worse. By not allowing your sinuses to drain properly, you leave mucus caught in your throat all night long. One of the best solutions for how to stop coughing at night is getting an adjustable mattress foundation.

Having an adjustable mattress foundation is a game-changer for your sleep quality, especially when you’re sick. The adjustable base allows you to slightly elevate your head, reducing both congestion and that persistent nighttime cough.

Texas Mattress Makers offers customers the best adjustable mattress foundations with a variety of features to make sleeping each night a more comfortable experience. They’re perfect for those nights when you can’t sleep when sick, or when you want to watch TV in bed. Trust us; this is the perfect accessory for elevating your sleep quality.

Choose the right sleep position

The best sleep position when sick will depend on your specific symptoms: 

• Sinus congestion: Sleeping on your back with your head elevated is often most effective for keeping mucus out of your throat.
• Postnasal drip: Sleeping on your side can help drain sinuses and relieve pressure.
• Sore throat: For those wondering how to sleep with a sore throat, elevation is your friend. Keeping your head raised helps prevent stomach acid from irritating an already painful throat.

Try to avoid sleeping on your stomach when sick, as this position puts pressure on your chest and makes breathing more difficult. If you need to, you can place pillows on either side of your body so that you don’t accidentally roll onto your stomach while you are sleeping.

Create the ideal sleep environment

When you can’t sleep when sick, having the correct bedroom environment becomes even more important. Keep your bedroom around 68 degrees, and keep warm blankets available to adjust as your body temperature fluctuates with fever or chills. Ensure that your room is dark and quiet so that your body can rest for as long as it needs to. Sleeping with an eye mask on prevents unwanted light from waking you up first thing in the morning.

Hydration is also essential while you’re fighting off illnesses. Putting a humidifier in your bedroom adds moisture to the air that helps loosen mucus and soothe irritated airways. Keep water on your nightstand to stay hydrated and soothe your throat when you wake up coughing. 

If cold weather is affecting your sleep beyond illness, check out our guide on winter insomnia.

Address coughing before bed

If you’re struggling with how to stop coughing at night, timing your remedies correctly is key. Take any prescribed cough suppressants or follow over-the-counter medicine directions about 30 minutes before bed. We also recommend taking a spoonful of honey to coat your throat and soothe any irritation; however, do not give any honey to infants under the age of one as it can increase the risk of infant botulism.

Staying hydrated throughout the day makes a significant difference in nighttime cough frequency. Warm liquids like herbal tea or broth in the evening can be especially soothing.

Be cautious with sleep aids

When you can’t sleep with the flu, the temptation to reach for sleep aids is understandable. However, you shouldn’t overly rely on medication to help you sleep — only take what you’re prescribed or follow over-the-counter medicine directions carefully.

Despite the pros and cons, melatonin can cause dangerous side effects if taken with certain cold and flu medications. Cough suppressants that cause drowsiness, like dextromethorphan, should not be taken with any sleep aids, as they can make you groggier the next day, which is the last thing you need when your body is already fighting illness. Focus instead on symptom relief medications that address your specific issues to help you sleep better.

Tips for helping children sleep better when sick

If your child can’t sleep with the flu or is struggling with other illnesses, contact your pediatrician if you have concerns about your child’s symptoms or sleep patterns while sick. They can provide guidance specific to your child’s age and symptoms. However, here are some ways you can alleviate their discomfort at home.

Prioritize comfort and flexibility

Sleeping when sick is tough for kids — and stressful for parents. The most important thing is making sure they’re comfortable and getting enough sleep, even if that means throwing your usual naptime routines out of the window. In short, let them sleep when they’re tired — their body knows what it needs to recover. 

Some other comfort tips include:

• Dress them in breathable layers
• Keep their bedrooms cool (not cold)
• Add a humidifier to ease congestion and coughing
• Keep them hydrated with a sippy cup or water bottle within reach
• Prepare a warm drink for them before bed to soothe sore throats

Use elevation carefully

Much like adults, elevation helps children breathe easier when they’re congested. For older children, you can use extra pillows to prop up their head. For babies and very young children, never use pillows or blankets that could pose a suffocation risk; instead, consider slightly elevating one end of the crib mattress. Again, talk with your pediatrician on what routes you can take to make their bed more comfortable.

Give yourself grace

This tip might seem strange to hear in this list, but trust us when we say, it is an incredibly important one. Parents, don’t forget to give yourself grace during these times. Sick kids often sleep poorly, which means you’re probably not getting much rest either. Your usual routines might need to be temporarily adjusted to fit their (and your) needs, and that’s okay.

It’s perfectly fine if your child wants to sleep in your bed or needs more physical comfort than usual. These temporary changes won’t create lasting bad habits — they’re meeting legitimate needs. You’ll return to normal patterns once everyone is feeling better. 

FAQ

How should you sleep when sick?

The key to understanding how to sleep while sick is to prioritize three things:

• Your symptoms: Make sure that you are taking the proper medications or steps to alleviate your symptoms before bed. If you’re not taking cough suppressants, cold relievers, or hydrating with warm liquids, you can expect to cough and sneeze all night.
• Your positioning: Sleeping on your back with your head elevated or on your side is usually preferable when you’re ill. Using an adjustable mattress foundation is the best way to keep your body position perfect all night long for proper relief.
• Your mattress: Having a mattress that properly supports your body and keeps you comfortable is the key to getting quality sleep each night, regardless of whether you’re sick or not. A quality mattress will eliminate aches and pains, aid your body in recovery, and improve your immune system with proper rest long-term. 

When you’re not feeling well, minor discomforts become major obstacles to rest. A mattress that’s too firm can make body aches worse, while one that’s too soft might not provide enough support.

Do adjustable beds help with sleep apnea?

The answer is yes — and they’re equally beneficial when you’re battling respiratory illness. The elevation keeps airways open and allows gravity to work in your favor. While some people advise you to prop your head up on a pile of pillows, this approach can actually cause aches and pains in your neck and shoulders; the last thing you want when you’re already feeling awful. The best mattress for sleep apnea is one that will keep your body supported and comfortable, paired with an adjustable mattress foundation for the added elevation.

Can you oversleep when sick?

Absolutely. As we mentioned earlier, it’s essential to let your body rest for as long as needed. In other words, if you’re tired, then rest. Sleeping gives your body the extra boost it needs to fight off infections and strengthen your immune system. Once you’re better, you can return to your normal sleep schedule.

However, if you’re still battling fatigue long after you’ve recovered from your illness, you might want to speak to a doctor to ensure your health is okay. 

Texas Mattress Makers: Get Your Best Sleep Every Night

We’ve been helping Houston families sleep better for 45 years because we understand that how to sleep while sick starts with having the right foundation. When sickness hits, rest is the best remedy — and that means having a quality mattress that allows your body to fully relax and heal.

As mattress experts, we’re here to tell you that your mattress and your health go hand-in-hand. If your body requires quality rest to recover, think of your mattress as your primary tool. Without the proper mattress, you won’t be able to sleep well, and if you don’t sleep well, you won’t get better. 

Texas Mattress Makers makes finding your perfect mattress easy. We offer top-quality mattresses made right here in our Houston factory that prioritize your comfort and support. 

And while an adjustable mattress foundation is not a requirement for quality sleep, it significantly improves your sleep experience — especially when you’re fighting an illness or healing an injury and need to customize your positioning with ease. 

Illness-related sleep troubles are temporary, but a bad mattress will negatively affect every aspect of your health indefinitely. Visit any of our mattress stores in Houston to experience the difference a locally-made, quality mattress can make. We also carry mattresses that are suitable for children so that the whole family can get the sleep they deserve each and every night. 

More Helpful Articles by Texas Mattress Makers:

• Can’t Sleep When Traveling? Follow These Tips.
• Experts Answer: Adjustable Bed Frame FAQs
• Best Adjustable Bed Frames: Buyer’s Guide
• 5 Things You Need to Get Better Sleep
• Mattress Shopping FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered