Even after all of your other cold or flu symptoms have disappeared, a hacking cough can keep you up at night and interfere with your breathing. If you've already been to a doctor and he's determined it's okay to try home remedies, soothe your cough with items you probably already have around the house, like a towel and honey.
Chicken Soup
Chicken soup as a cough remedy isn't just an old wives' tale; it's an effective home remedy for coughing, according to the Mayo Clinic. Eating chicken soup can help loosen mucous that accumulates in the nasal passages and in the chest, which may also help reduce a rattling cough and tight, restricted breathing. Additionally, breathing in the steam while eating chicken soup can help clear congestion in the lungs. Chicken soup also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce tightness in the lungs and help the body's immune system respond better, says the Mayo Clinic.
Steam Inhalation
If you're frequently waking up in the middle of the night with a tight chest and raspy cough, loosen the congestion with steam inhalation. Sit in the bathroom while filling the bathtub up with hot water, recommends "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies." Slowly breathe in and out for several minutes, until the coughing subsides and the chest loosens. If mold is an issue in your bathroom, fill up the sink with hot water instead, then drape a towel over your head to trap in the steam.
Lemon and Honey
By mixing 1 tsbsp. lemon and 1 tbsp. honey into a mug of hot water, you can help reduce the tickle in your throat and soothe your cough, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Drinking the mixture of lemon, honey and water as needed throughout the day can help act as a cough suppressant. Lemon and honey can also be added to herbal tea to help soothe the throat and prevent coughing. The Mayo Clinic does not recommend giving honey to infants, as it can cause infant botulism, a dangerous type of food poisoning.
