Having a cold can make you feel miserable. The runny or stuffy nose and the general feeling of being unwell can be really annoying. What may be slightly more annoying is that everyone around you has their own tried and true home remedy to kick the cold away.

While there are no home remedies that can cure a cold, some work well to reduce the symptoms and make them that much more bearable. There are, however, some home remedies and advice that do not work so well or may even be harmful to you. Here are some things you should not do if you have a cold.

Taking Antibiotics

Antibiotics are a class of medications used to fight bacterial infections. The common cold is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do nothing to fight a cold. Wrong use of antibiotics can give rise to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, otherwise known as superbugs. Infections caused by these superbugs are difficult to treat because they can resist most antibiotics.

Exercise

We all know how much exercise is important for your overall health, but sticking with your exercises routine while sick with a cold may prolong your illness and make your symptoms worse. As you may have probably heard, rest is important for fighting the cold as it gives your body time to heal. A light exercise, like taking a walk is probably ok, but avoid exerting yourself.

Caffeinated Beverages

It is good to drink warm or hot fluids when you have a cold, but drinking beverages that have caffeine in them can be bad for you. Caffeine can contribute to dehydration, which is something you need to avoid when you have a cold because it can make your symptoms worse.

Blowing too Hard

Blowing your nose can help clear your nostrils and make you breathe easier, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do that. Blowing your nose too hard can actually push the mucus back into your sinuses and cause more congestion. Blow your nose gently and blow one nostril at a time.

Vitamin C

While drinking lemon juice or taking vitamin C supplements when you have a cold may not be bad for you, it is not helpful. There is no evidence that vitamin C affects the cold virus. Drinking any fluids to help you stay hydrated is good when you have a cold, but vitamin C will not do much.

Coughing Into Your Hands

Covering your mouth with your hand when you cough is instinctive to some people, but doing so can be harmful to you and may actually contribute to the spread of the illness to others more than it would if you just coughed into the air. Research shows that the cold virus survives on surfaces for longer than it would in the open air.