A double-duty shower

Steamy showers are a great way to soothe congestion, but Dahlia Landa, M.D., an ENT and mother of three in New York City, takes it a step further: “When the kids have uncomfortably stuffy noses, I have them use a saline nasal spray in the shower,” she says. After Dr. Landa gets the warm water running, she has the kids get in the shower and spray each nostril once with saline spray. “I joke that the spray is a ‘shower’ for their noses,” she says. The steam opens nasal passages and thins the mucus, which helps the saline do its job of flushing out secretions. After a 5- to 10-minute shower, the kids’ noses are clearer. “The steamy shower also helps soothe any achy muscles,” adds Dr. Landa. “And that always helps them sleep better.”