Feeling sniffly?

Staffer says “I try to get ten hours of sleep each night as soon as I feel a little something coming on. I naively believe this technique has reversed the course of many colds.” —Ruth Welte, associate editor
Reality check There’s nothing naive about banking more Zzzs. Folks who sleep less than seven hours a night are three times more likely to catch a cold than those who sleep at least eight hours a night, according to a new study in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Staffer says “If I’m not feeling well, I wear a turtleneck to bed. I feel as if keeping my neck and chest warm at night really helps.” —Stephanie Gladney, art director
Reality check Experts agree that colds are caused by viral infections—they’re not influenced by cold weather nor being improperly dressed.

Staffer says “I gargle warm salt water when my throat feels weird.” —Brent DiCrescenzo, Music editor
Reality check No studies have shown it prevents the eruption of a full-blown cold, but doctors say it’s a great way to alleviate uncomfy cold symptoms, such as the ubiquitous scratchy throat.

Staffer says “I try to keep hand sanitizer with me wherever I go. It’s the only thing that makes me feel better after seeing someone sneeze all over the rails on the El.” —Kate Lowery, partnership coordinator
Reality check Yep, hand sanitizer works for helping you steer clear of pesky germs, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Medical Center. (Bonus points if you keep your hands away from your face, too.) But consider gels and hand wipes a temporary solution until you can get to a sink to wash your hands with warm water and soap.

Staffer says “I drink at least twice the amount of water you’re supposed to in a day and at least four cups of green tea. It forces me to go to the bathroom every 45 minutes (at least). It really sucks for that day, but it flushes everything out of my system.” —Christina Couch, Around Town writer
Reality check The medical journal Rhinology recently reported that folks who sipped hot tea rated their cold symptoms as less severe than those who had cold drinks (even though tests showed their nasal air flow did not improve). Researchers chalk up the results to the placebo effect.

Staffer says “I eat an obscene—and I really mean obscene—amount of garlic when I start to get sick. I’ll roast maybe three heads and spread it on a flatbread or something. I think it works.” —David Tamarkin, Eat Out editor
Reality check Garlic contains high levels of allicin, which is antibacterial and antifungal. One clinical trial found that people who eat garlic regularly reduce the incidence of colds by more than 50 percent.

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