Coughing is a reflex and is routed through the brain: the nerves in the throat detect irritation, send a signal to a certain area of brain, which processes that signal and decides to issue another signal towards the nerves that control the muscles, initiating coughing. That decision-making can be superseded or suppressed if necessary, for example during sleep.
it doesn’t.
For most people eventually the chemicals that cause you to sleep build up to such levels you literally can’t NOT sleep. You still cough, and will likely awaken to a coughing fit.
Many common causes of coughing (pollen allergies, pollution) drop in level at night, relieving symptoms enough to eventually allow normal sleep.
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