[thedoc (OP)]

Matt Tisdale asked the Naked Scientists:
   Long time listener, few questions you can ponder and answer on the air if you're interested:

My friend was coughing all day then, as soon as she went to sleep, she stopped. In the morning she was caughing again, how is this explained?

Do you suppose evolution...maybe the ones survived that did not make any
ruckus while we are most vulnerable during sleep.

Or could it be to do with the body slowing down and core temperature cooling?

Great work with the show.

Cheers,

-Matt T-

What do you think?

[chris]

I'm slightly surprised to hear that she stopped coughing in her sleep, because I've definitely woken myself up with a coughing fit...

[SquarishTriangle]

I have also woken myself up coughing, many times. Cruelly, when I am sick and need to rest the most, I can't because I cough as soon as I lie down.

I would say your friend was probably able to sleep because they weren't coughing, rather than not coughing because they were sleeping.