Fighting a cold?

A lot of people get colds this time of year. And when you are sick with a cold – you want to sleep. But that can be tough when you are all stuffed up. So what do you do? Here are some tips from WebMD:

• Use a nasal strip. You’ll be amazed how they open you up so you can breathe.

• Take a hot shower before bed. The steam and humidity will help clear out your sinuses.

• A little chicken soup is good. Research shows that eating hot chicken soup was more effective than sipping hot water to clear out your sinuses. (No one is exactly sure why).

• Avoid cold drinks before bed. They can increase stuffiness.

• Use a saline nasal rinse to clear out your nose. But be careful of over-the-counter nasal sprays. They can have a rebound effect if you use them too much and you can get addicted to them.

• Don’t prop your head up with pillows. It causes an unnatural bend in the neck that can make it harder to breathe. Better to use a wedge shaped pillow that elevates you from the waist up.