Coming down with a cold is a pretty miserable experience. Youre tired, uncomfortable and ready to just feel better.

If you have a cold, you may have a runny nose, cough or congestion. You may even have low-grade fevers, fatigue, sneezing, sinus pressure and muscle soreness, according to Dr. Christopher Scuderi , a family physician in Jacksonville, Florida.

Unfortunately, there isnt a magic pill that will just make your cold go away. Instead, you have to wait it out. But experts also say there are things you can do at home to help yourself feel a little better throughout your sickness and many of these things dont cost any money at all.

Below, doctors share what they do when treating a cold at home:

They eat nutritious foods.

Fundamentally, to treat any viral infection, the biggest thing we can do is give our body enough rest, focus on hydration [and] good calories, said Dr. Dhaval Desai , the director of hospital medicine at Emory St. Josephs Hospital in Atlanta.

He noted that good calories include high-protein foods (eggs, fish, chicken, Greek yogurt, peanut butter) and some carbs for energy. He also recommended that you avoid processed foods that dont have much nutritional value, as well as caffeinated drinks.

Dr. Judith Flores , a pediatrician in New York and a medical expert from the National Hispanic Medical Association , added that you should stay away from alcohol, which can not only disrupt your sleep (which is important for recovery) but can also interfere with any over-the-counter medications youre taking.

They stay hydrated.

As mentioned above, hydration is a key way to treat your cold. In fact, Flores said you should hydrate as much as possible during the time you are sick. This is especially important because most adults do not drink enough water to begin with, she noted, which makes this a challenge for people all the time and when theyre sick.

Starting to really purposely drink anything other [than] alcohol is great, Flores said, adding that alcohol dehydrates you.

The Mayo Clinic recommends that you drink water, juice, water with lemon or clear broth to reach your hydration goals.

They prioritize sleep.

Theres a reason youre more tired when you have a cold. Your body is craving rest to help it recover from your sickness. Because of this, Scuderi said he encourages rest when anyone is feeling sick (including himself).

According to the Mayo Clinic , infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you dont get enough sleep, which leaves you either more susceptible to colds or may mean it will take you longer to feel better when you are sick.

This is a good time to slow down and let the bodys immune system do its work, he said. So, if you wake up with a cold, its a good idea to go back to sleep, let yourself take a nap halfway through the day or go to bed early that night.

Scuderi added that he also does not take on any extra commitments when hes fighting a cold so he can do this. Resting makes a difference in how you feel.

They care for their most severe symptom.

Treating a cold is all about symptomatic care, meaning you should address the symptoms that are bothering you most, Desai said.

He added that hell typically follow the steps above before turning to over-the-counter medications for cold treatment. However, he said, theres nothing wrong with using medication for symptom control if you need it.

For general body pain, you can try acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). For congestion, you can try medicines like Mucinex, he said. Just note that moderation is key; you dont want to overdo it with your medications. And you shouldnt mix your over-the-counter medicine, either, Flores added.

Really pick and choose what your most severe symptom is and look at over-the-counter [options], whether its cough suppression, decongestant or just general aches and pains, and go after that, Desai said.

If you have any health conditions, its also important to check with your doctor before starting any new over-the-counter medicines, Flores added.

Additionally, Desai stressed that this over-the-counter medication advice is meant for adults children should not be given over-the-counter cold medicine for treatment unless directed by a doctor.

We really dont recommend cough suppressants or any cold over-the-counter medications for young kids, especially under the age of 6 to 8, he said. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that cough and cold medicines can have life-threatening effects on children under 2 .