Almost everone has suffered from a cold or flu at some point in their lives. Many of us rely upon over the counter medications which simply bring symptom relief. However, for those of us who prefer to cure their own common viral infections, there are several steps which you can take in order to alleviate the side effects of a cold and to reduce its duration.

The first and most important thing which you can do in order to alleviate your symptoms is to give your body plenty of rest. When you are sick, your body is weakened as it is trying to fight off the illness. Give your body an extra boost of energy by resting during a time when your organs are fighting against the infection. Another way to ease your cold or flu is to drink plenty of hot liquids. Drinking hot liquids relives nasal congestion, prevents dehydration and soothes the inflamed membranes that line the throat and the nose.

Some other minor steps which you can take towards a quicker recovery include: blowing your nose often, gargling, taking steamy showers, and sleeping with an extra pillow under your head. During a cold, it is very important to blow your nose often. When you do this, the mucus does not have a chance to re-enter your body. And if you suffer from sore throat, you should try to gargle with salt and water or with apple cider vinegar several times a day. As for improving your sleep, before you head to bed try to take a steamy shower in order to moisten your nasal passages and relive some tension. Try to add an extra pillow under your head while in bed to help with drainage of nasal passages. These are just a few steps to alleviating your flu or cold symptoms.