Home remedies for cold and cough: night cough, sore throat, kids and more

A blocked nose, scratchy throat and a cough that keeps you up at night can drain your energy for days. This guide gathers our home remedies for cold and cough — from honey-based spoons and steam to warm soups and gargles — organised by the problem you are facing: dry cough at night, mucus in the throat, tonsils, colds in children, cough during pregnancy, pollution cough and more.

In Ayurveda, most colds are seen as kapha building up in the chest and head, often after cold, heavy or oily food, damp weather or poor sleep. Warm fluids, ginger, tulsi, black pepper, turmeric and mulethi are traditionally used to thin mucus and soothe the throat, while rest gives the body time to recover. Most common colds settle in seven to ten days; the remedies here aim to make those days more comfortable.

Please see a doctor for breathing difficulty, wheezing, chest pain, high or persistent fever, a cough lasting more than three weeks, coughing up blood, or any worrying symptoms in babies, older adults or people with asthma, heart or lung disease. Never give honey to children under one year old. Continue any prescribed inhalers or medicines.