Cold worse night

Answer 1

The main reason for cold and flu symptoms to worsen at night is due to cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. It works on a 24 hour cycle where a person's highest level of cortisol is during the day- and lessens as the day ends. When your body has its highest level of cortisol (during the day) it actually effects T-cell growth, preventing the immune system to work at its full potential. At night, cortisol levels drop, allowing the immune system to kick in. Believe it or not, you actually feel slightly worse when your immune system is hard at work. (ie. congestion is worse- this is because your body is actually breaking up the mucus, causing a worse sensation. The same applies to a worse cough, stuffier nose, etc.) Also, as gravity has it, if you are in bed laying down, this tends to allow congestion to settle more and your nose not to drain as well as if you were standing upright.