| How to Sleep with a Cough Posted: 19 Feb 2019 04:00 PM PST A nagging cough can make it really difficult to fall asleep at night. If you can manage to get rid of the cough, your problem will likely be solved. However, if you have a cough that simply refuses to be suppressed, there are measures you can take—like keeping your breathing passages moist, elevating your head, and creating a good sleep environment—that can help you overcome the hacking and get some decent shut-eye. EditHydrating Your Breathing Passages - Drink water during the day to stay hydrated at night. Dry breathing passages get irritated more easily, which results in more frequent and/or more powerful coughing. Drinking water throughout the day to keep your body hydrated will help your throat and nasal tissue to stay moist during the night.[1]
- Take extra care to stay hydrated if you are also experiencing a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, since these all dehydrate your body.
- It's best to spread out your water consumption throughout the day rather than to have 1 or 2 big glasses of water right before bed—otherwise you'll probably have to get up to use the bathroom!
- Drink warm or hot water to help hydrate your body and loosen up the mucus in your lungs for a speedier recovery.
- Take a steamy shower or bath to wind down at the end of the day. Steam helps to soothe irritated tissue and open and moisturize your breathing passages. This means you'll breathe more easily as you head off to bed, and may cough less frequently as well.[2]
- A warm bath or shower can also be a calming ritual that helps prepare your body for rest. Try making it part of your nightly routine that tells your body it's time to sleep!
- Enjoy hot tea with honey before bedtime. Like the steam from a bath or shower, a steaming-hot cup of tea will help moisturize, expand, and soothe your breathing passages. Choose an herbal or decaf tea, since caffeine makes it harder to fall asleep.[3]
- A nice cup of tea can also be mentally calming before bedtime.
- Honey coats and soothes your breathing passages, and has antibacterial properties that may be beneficial as well.[4]
- Turn on a humidifier in your bedroom. The humidifier adds moisture to the surrounding air, which will in turn hydrate your nasal tissue and throat as you breathe. Even when you don't have a cough, you'll probably find it easier to sleep if the air is moister.[5]
- For most people, a relative humidity level of about 50% is ideal for sleeping. So, you're more likely to need a humidifier on a winter night than a sticky summer evening.[6]
- Make sure you clean your humidifier properly and regularly to prevent bacteria buildup. Otherwise, it may cause a cough (and illness) instead of helping with it!
EditImproving Your Sleep Environment - Prop your head up under more pillows to aid mucus drainage. When you lie down, mucus tends to build up in the back of your throat, contributing to the "tickle" that makes you cough in order to clear the airway. If you prop your head up higher than normal with additional pillows, more of this mucus will drain down into your stomach instead of collecting in your throat.[7]
- Stack the pillows so that your neck and upper body are supported as well, instead of leaving your neck bent at an awkward angle. Otherwise, you'll end up with a stiff neck and a cough, which isn't a fun combination!
- Make sure your room is comfortable for sleeping. The more inviting your bedroom is for sleeping, the easier it will be for you to fall and remain asleep, even with a cough. Use blinds and curtains to keep the room dark, set the temperature so it's comfortably cool, use a good-quality mattress and pillow and comfy linens, and remove or block out any distracting noises.
- For most people, the ideal temperature for sleeping is .[8]
- Set a normal sleep routine, and stick to it when you have a cough. Following the same routine every night signals your body that it's time to sleep, and can help you overcome the distraction of a stubborn cough. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, and follow the same schedule—for instance, warm bath, hot tea and some reading, meditation, and lights out—every night.
- You should avoid caffeine and vigorous exercise for several hours before bedtime, and cut off "screen time"—watching TV, checking your phone, using your laptop, etc.—at least an hour before bedtime.
- Lie in bed and use relaxation techniques to fall asleep. Lie comfortably, close your eyes, and start breathing deeply and slowly. Take notice of each breath. If you need more help, picture a calming image that brings you peace and serenity. Give yourself 15-30 minutes to fall asleep with these techniques.[9]
- Coughing can interrupt your deep breathing and make it hard to maintain your focus. Do your best to ignore the coughing and maintain your relaxation.
- If you're still awake after 15-30 minutes, move on to another method--namely, getting up briefly and trying over again.
- Try following a guided sleep meditation to get into a relaxing mindset.
- Get up, do something relaxing, and try to fall asleep again. If you're tossing and turning because of your cough, it's usually better to get up briefly and restart your process of falling asleep. Get up for 15-30 minutes and do something calm, like listen to soft jazz or meditate while you drink some herbal tea with honey. Then, climb back into bed and see if you're able to doze off.[10]
- Give yourself about 30 minutes to fall asleep. If you still can't, repeat the process of getting up briefly and trying again. Eventually, your body will give in and you'll head off to dreamland!
EditSuppressing and Treating Your Cough - Take a spoonful of honey before bedtime. There is a growing body of evidence that honey is just as effective of a cough suppressant as common over-the-counter medications. Try swallowing about 2 tsp (10 g) of honey right before you go to bed, even if you've already had some honey in your nightly herbal tea.[11]
- Honey coats and soothes irritated breathing passages, and it has potentially beneficial antibacterial properties.
- Honey appears to be particularly useful for kids age 1-5, who should not be given cough-suppressing medications. Children under age 1 should not be given honey, however, due to the risk of botulism.
- You can also try sucking on a cough drop right before you sleep for similar effects.
- Try cough or cold medications that specifically match your symptoms. If you have only a cough, for instance, take a medication that is only a cough suppressant. You should always try to avoid taking medications that address symptoms you don't have.[12]
- There are 2 main types of over-the-counter cough medications: antitussives (cough suppressants), such as dextromethorphan (Robitussin, for example); and expectorants (to help clear mucus), such as guaifenesin (Mucinex, for example).[13]
- Many medications have a combination of active ingredients that include cough suppressants, antitussives, fever reducers, and painkillers. Look for a medication that fully encompasses the symptoms you're feeling.
- Over-the-counter medications aren't safe for everyone. People with high blood pressure, for example, must be careful when choosing cold medicines and should avoid oral decongestants that contain phenylephrine. It's never a bad idea to consult your doctor or pharmacist before choosing or using medication.
- Take the medication exactly as directed on the package, or by your doctor.
- Get checked for sleep apnea if you have a persistent nighttime cough. If you have a persistent cough that lasts for more than 1-2 weeks, it's always advisable to talk to your doctor. If this long-term cough tends to get worse at night and affects your sleep, you should also discuss getting tested for sleep apnea.[14]
- People with sleep apnea can have episodes in which they stop breathing for brief periods during sleep. This condition can be fatal if left untreated, but treatments like using a CPAP mask while sleeping can be very effective.
- Using a CPAP mask also tends to suppress nighttime coughing that's connected to sleep apnea.[15]
- Your doctor may advise that you undergo a sleep study as part of your testing for sleep apnea.
- Tell your doctor if your cough has caused a fear of sleeping. Especially if you have a persistent, mucus-heavy cough, you may wake up suddenly from sleep feeling like you're suffocating. This, in turn, can cause a fear of falling asleep, which leads some people to go to great lengths to stay awake at night. Talk to your doctor right away if your nighttime cough is having this type of impact on you.[16]
- In some cases, the combination of a mucus-heavy cough at night and a fear of sleeping can indicate a condition like whooping cough that may be missed otherwise.
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| How to Decorate a Shelf in the Living Room Posted: 19 Feb 2019 08:00 AM PST Having a shelf in your living room is a great way to add extra style to one of the busiest rooms in your house. You can use it to hold books, of course, but you can also show off some of your favorite family photos, interesting objects, and even seasonal decorations. The trick to making the design look deliberate is to include some of the same colors from the rest of your living room décor, then to arrange the objects in a way that shows them off! EditDeciding What to Display - Group small stacks of books together. If you're decorating a whole bookshelf, of course, you can include as many books as you can fit. However, if you're only decorating a single shelf, you might want to be more selective about the books you choose. You could pick books that you love to read over and over, or if you prefer, you could opt to display books with bindings that match your décor.[1]
- For an elegant display, include a collection of leather-bound volumes.
- Don't be afraid to get creative with your arrangement! You can display some books with the front facing outward, especially if they have interesting cover art. You can also stack some books horizontally and some vertically.
- Take dust covers off of hardcover books to make them look less busy.
- Buy old books from a thrift store that you don't want to read to use just as decoration.
- Make the shelf feel more personal with framed art or pictures. A framed picture is a great way to add your personality and design style to a shelf. You can either lean the art against the wall and anchor it by placing small, heavy objects in front of it, or you can hang it just above the shelf for more security.[2]
- Photos of your family and loved ones will add a lot of warmth to your living room.
- You could also opt for art that reflects your design style, like pop art if you love bright, bold colors, or a simple line drawing if you prefer a more understated look.
- You could even create a gallery wall by hanging a variety of pictures above the shelf. Then, decorate the shelf with small objects that mimic the colors or shapes in the pictures.
- Lean a large frame against the wall and later smaller ones in front to create a relaxed style.
- Use sculptures, vases, and found objects to mix up the shapes on the shelf. A shelf that only contains square and rectangular objects isn't as visually appealing as one that has a variety of shapes. Instead, it's best to mix up the size and shape of the items you display together. Use your shelf to show off cool objects like vases, globes, bookends, or sculptures.[3]
- Try to use your imagination when you're thinking of items that you can put on the shelf. Some of the coolest designs feature unexpected touches, like a glass bowl full of acorns in a rustic living room, or a brightly-colored vase that adds a pop of color to an otherwise subtle color palette.
- Look around your house for objects you don't use anymore and use them as decorations.
- Include colors that reflect the design of the rest of the living room. To make the shelf feel cohesive with the rest of your living space, look around and pick out a couple of colors that you can repeat on the shelf. This might be a color from your curtains, carpet, or rug, or it might be a color in a piece of artwork that you'd like to bring out more.[4]
- For a modern look, opt for monochrome colors, like all-white. However, don't be afraid to add in a graphic pop of color!
- For a more traditional look, opt for warm, dark woods, and rich colors like burgundy and gold.
- If your style is more rustic, look for lighter woods and natural colors like forest green.
- Fill up your shelf with color or use one bright object to make your room pop.
- Use boxes and trays to hide clutter. You may need to use your shelf to store items like loose papers, phone chargers, or other small, objects that are functional but unattractive. If that's the case, keep the items close at hand but out of sight by hiding them in pretty boxes or magazine holders. This will help keep your clutter contained, but you'll still be able to easily reach your objects when you need them.[5]
- You can also group small objects like paperclips or coins together in small bowls or on trays.
- Look for boxes that are decorative and nice to make your display look more purposeful.
- Add green plants to bring a touch of nature into your living room. Houseplants are a great way to add natural beauty to your home, and a living room shelf is a perfect place to display them. Choose a plant that's well-suited to the amount of natural sunlight in the room, and consider the size of the plant and how it will fit with the scale of the shelf.[6]
- For instance, if you have a narrow shelf, you could display a cactus in a small container.
- If you don't want to take care of a plant, use faux greenery instead.
- Display seasonal decorations if you enjoy celebrating various holidays. A living room shelf is one of the best places to display your holiday decorations. Whether you love keeping freshly-cut flowers in the spring, you need a place to display your menorah at Hanukkah, or you can't celebrate Christmas without your dancing Santa, use your shelf to show off your holiday spirit!
- By changing the decorations throughout the year, your shelf will always look fresh!
EditArranging Your Items - Make use of the depth by arranging some objects further back on the shelf. If you pull everything to the end of a shelf, the final result will be very flat. If you have a deep enough shelf, try placing some items closer to the wall, and others toward the front of the shelf. That way, your eye will immediately be able to see the depth, and the shelf will look more visually interesting.[7]
- For instance, you can lean artwork, large books, or even painted, empty picture frames at the back of the shelf. Then, you can place smaller statues, framed pictures, or other decorative items near the edge of the shelf.
- Make sure you're not putting items too close to the front of the shelf since it will look unbalanced and could be a falling hazard.
- Balance the scale of the objects you're using. The size of your shelf should dictate the height and width of the decorations you include. For instance, a large mantle might be the perfect place for a huge framed portrait, but that same picture would look out of place above a short floating shelf.[8]
- Similarly, the pieces should balance with each other. If you're using a few larger pieces, a very tiny, delicate figurine would be lost in the design, for example.
- Leave some empty space so the shelf doesn't look cluttered. Unless you're going for a very modern look, your shelf shouldn't be sparse, but there should be some empty space between some of the objects. As you're arranging your decor, step back every so often and take a look at how everything is grouped together. If anything looks too crowded, try moving the items further apart, or remove something from the shelf.[9]
- There's no definite rule for how much empty space there should be. Just trust your own taste on this. If you're still not sure, ask a friend or a family member for their opinion.
- Start with an assortment of objects and remove them as you go while you're styling. Try different arrangements until you get the look you want.
- Group objects in odd numbers. For some reason, odd-numbered groups of objects are typically more pleasing to the eye than even-numbered collections. While groups of 3 are probably the most common, you can gather 5 or 7 smaller objects together on your shelf as well.[10]
- These don't have to be groups of the same object. For instance, you could lean a large art book against the wall, then place a heavy marble paperweight and a bowl full of pretty river rocks in front of the book to make a nice tableau.
- Arrange items so they're slightly asymmetrical for a natural look. Perfect symmetry tends to look a little formal, so you should avoid it if you want your living room to feel more relaxed and comfortable. Place objects so they're a little off-center, and vary the size and shape of the objects you choose for opposite ends of the shelf.[11]
- For instance, you could place a lamp on one side of the shelf and a sculpture on the other, with a houseplant slightly to the left of the middle of the shelf and a stack of books just to the right.
- If you feel stuck, ask someone for their opinion. They may notice something different that you wouldn't have seen by yourself.
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| How to Shrink Sweatpants Posted: 19 Feb 2019 12:00 AM PST Sweatpants are super comfortable and loose-fitting. They're perfect for wearing while you sleep, exercise, or lounge around the house.[1] It's pretty common, though, for sweatpants to stretch out a bit over time and become too big and baggy, especially if you wear them a lot. Luckily, there are several quick and easy fixes to help shrink your sweatpants back down to the right size. EditShrinking Sweatpants in the Washing Machine - Place the sweatpants in the washing machine. Add any other garments you want to wash hot in with them. Towels and socks are a great option, as they are designed to be washed hot without being damaged or shrinking.
- Be careful not to mix whites with colored items, as the colors may bleed.[2]
- Add a color-safe laundry detergent. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label of the sweatpants, if any are included. Following the provided garment instructions will prevent the hot water from altering the color of your pants.[3]
- Select the hottest setting on the washing machine. Most washers have fairly simple heat settings. Usually, your options are "cold," "warm," and "hot."[4] Whatever your washer's settings, opt for the hottest one.
- During the manufacturing process, the threads that make up fabrics are put under stress, constantly being pulled and stretched. Exposing the fabric to heat will relieve some of this stress, causing the treads to shorten.[5]
- Set the washer for its longest available wash cycle. Many washers have a "heavy duty" spin cycle option, which tends to be the longest and most intense cycle.[6] If the washer you're using doesn't have this option, you can use the "normal" or "bulky" option.
- Take the sweatpants and other items out and put them in the dryer. You want to keep the sweatpants under consistent heat while you're trying to shrink them. For this reason, it's a good idea not to leave them in the washing machine for too long after the wash cycle is complete.[7]
- If there are any items you don't want to run through the dryer, take them out and hang them on a clothesline to air dry.
- Select the hottest setting and the longest drying time available. Depending on the dryer you're using, you'll probably want to select the "regular/heavy" setting.[8] On other dryers, there will be a dial, and you'll want to turn it to "more dry" or "very dry" in the section designed for cottons and other items that can be washed hot.
- If you're not happy with the results, simply repeat the process until your sweatpants have shrunk to your desired size.
EditUsing Boiling Water to Shrink Sweatpants - Fill a large pot about ¾ full with water. You'll want to have enough water to fully submerge your sweatpants. You'll also want your pot to be large enough that it won't boil over when you put your pants in.[9]
- Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. When it comes to shrinking clothes in boiling water, the hotter the temperature, the better. The energy in the heat will relieve some of the stress on the threads that make up the fabric, causing them to tighten and constrict.[10]
- You'll know the water has reached a rolling boil when large bubbles are rising swiftly to the surface and you can stir it without disrupting the boil.[11]
- Lower your sweatpants gently into the water and turn off the heat. Be careful to avoid splashing any boiling water out of the pot or onto your hands.[12]
- Use a wooden spoon or long metal tongs to make sure the pants are completely submerged.
- Leave the sweatpants to soak in the hot water for 5-10 minutes. Once you've turned off the burner, you want to leave the sweatpants fully submerged so the fabric can react to the heat of the water. For maximum results, leave the pants in the water for up to 20 minutes.[13]
- To trap the heat in, consider putting a lid over the pot while your pants soak.
- Pour the contents of the pot into a colander or sink. You don't want to use your hands to reach in to the pot, as the water will still be fairly hot and you want to avoid burning yourself.
- You may want to leave the sweatpants in the colander or sink to cool for a few minutes before you pick them up.
- Squeeze the water out of the sweatpants over the sink. Using your hands, bunch up the sweatpants and squeeze the fabric tightly. You want to remove as much excess water as possible from the pants before you put them in the dryer or hang them up.
- Avoid twisting or wringing the pants, as this may cause the fabric to stretch out again.[14]
- Dry the sweatpants in a dryer or on a clothesline. You'll want to look at the pants when they're dry to see how effective the hot water was. If you don't have a dryer handy, use a clothesline. Otherwise, it's a good idea to dry the sweatpants using the hottest setting, as this may provide additional shrinkage.[15]
EditBlow Drying Your Sweatpants to Shrink Them - Wet the sweatpants with hot water. You can do this using the hottest setting on a washing machine, or with water heated up in a kettle.[16] If you decide to use a kettle, set your sweatpants in the sink and pour the hot water over them, being careful not to burn yourself. You may need to do this a few times to make sure the pants are completely saturated.
- Squeeze the sweatpants over the sink to get rid of excess water. If you washed the pants in the washing machine, you may be able to skip this step. However, if you used a kettle or if there is excess water in the fabric from the wash, you'll want to get rid of it before drying the pants.
- Be careful not to wring them out or twist the fabric, as this may cause the fabric to stretch again.[17]
- Lay the sweatpants out over a flat, heat-protected surface. You can do this on a tiled bathroom or kitchen floor, outside on a deck or patio, on an ironing board, or on top of your washer or dryer.[18]
- Plug in your hair dryer and turn it to the hottest setting available. Some hair dryers only have one setting, while others have both a heat and speed setting.[19] It's best to use one that has multiple heat options, as this will allow you to use a higher temperature to dry your pants.
- Dry the sweatpants carefully, focusing on one small section at a time. Take your time with each section. Hold the hair dryer a few inches from the sweatpants to make sure the hot air is hitting them directly.[20]
- If there's a part of the sweatpants you specifically want to shrink (such as the waistband), this method allows you to pay special attention to that area.
- Flip the sweatpants over and dry the other side. Follow the same process you used to dry the first side. Take your time and make sure the pants are completely dry before you turn your hair dryer off. The more heat you apply, the better your results will be.
- Whatever method you choose, if your sweatpants don't shrink enough the first time you do it, you can repeat the entire process as needed to achieve the desired results.
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