Daytime Cold & Flu Medicine

The best daytime cold medicines feature several ingredients, allowing them to ease various symptoms, from a runny nose and cough to watery eyes or even a headache. Vicks DayQuil is one example of such a product, popular for its effective formula and the brand's long history. The product may help reduce nasal congestion and sinus pressure, allowing you to breathe better. It also helps relieve the aches and pains you might commonly feel throughout your body when sick with a cold or flu. 

Another effective nondrowsy solution to try is a decongestant nasal spray. These products are often suitable for use with oral cold medicines, giving you extra relief from a runny or blocked nose if you've already taken your daytime cold medicine dosage. 

The main difference between daytime cold medicine and formulas recommended for nighttime is typically whether the product contains an antihistamine. Antihistamines, such as chlorpheniramine, can help alleviate watery eyes, sneezing and many other symptoms of respiratory illnesses, but they also commonly cause noticeable drowsiness for many people.  

Daytime formulas don't contain an antihistamine, but some products may contain pseudoephedrine. This ingredient is a reliable decongestant that helps unblock your nose for several hours, but it also has a mild stimulant effect similar to caffeine and may prevent you from sleeping if taken close to bedtime. Other formulas contain phenylephrine instead, which is less likely to keep you awake but may still reduce the quality of your sleep and should be avoided at nighttime. 

Many daytime cold products contain a painkiller to ease the muscle and joint pains or tension headaches that often occur with a cold or flu. Acetaminophen is the most common analgesic included, and you shouldn't take Tylenol or other acetaminophen-based products with your cold medicine. 

Ibuprofen acts as a painkiller and an anti-inflammatory medication. Inflammation isn't usually the major source of pain and other symptoms with a cold or flu, so most formulas don't contain the ingredient, and it may be okay to take Advil or other ibuprofen-based medications with your cold medicine. However, check the ingredient list first. If still unsure, ask your pharmacist whether the formula contains ibuprofen or is okay to take with medications containing ibuprofen.