With winter right around the corner, the weather is getting colder all over the United States right now. As winter approaches, millions of people will find themselves battling pesky colds. Here is five of the best methods of beating a cold.

Rest

It sounds cliche, but sleep really is the best way to allow your body the time to fight off the cold and heal itself.

“Rest is absolutely a good treatment, and I would encourage people not to go outside—at least not in crowded areas where you could transmit the virus to others,” explained Michael Incze, MD, a resident physician in internal medicine at University of California, San Francisco.

Fluids

When you’re suffering from a cold, you’re using tons of fluids through congestion, sneezing, and constantly blowing your nose. Warm liquids are especially helpful during a cold, so try and have things like salty broth and chicken soup to replace electrolytes.

“I do recommend hot liquids. But use common sense,” said Cat Livingston, MD, a family physician with Oregon Health Sciences University. “There have been a couple of reports that people were so aggressive with fluids it actually caused harm.”

Gargling

If you’re suffering from a sore throat, gargling with salt water is a great way to clear it out.

“Gargling with salt water can be helpful for a sore throat,” said Dr. Livingston.

Saline nasal drops, sprays, irrigation

Various nasal drops and sprays that you can buy over the counter can help to relieve congestion.

“Things like Neti pots and nasal irrigation can often help relieve congestion,” said Dr. Incze. “There have been studies to show those work. If you use a Neti pot, keep it clean and use distilled water or water that’s been sterilized by boiling.”

OTC Cold and Cough Meds

“There’s some evidence that the combination of antihistamine and decongestants helps decrease inflammation,” says Dr. Livingston, adding that antihistamines alone aren’t effective for treating cold symptoms.

“But in combination with decongestants, they can help improve symptoms if you start within the first couple of days,” she continued.

What are some of your favorite tricks for beating a cold? Let us know in the comments section.