system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5, Why do you get congested when you get sick, and does it really help you heal faster?

I'll admit I'm just feeling too lazy to do the research myself today, reddit. So shower me in your advanced knowledge of why this happens because I'm congested right now and it sucks.
gpt
The mucus is doing three things. First, it's forming a protective barrier to trap any viruses that are trying to get in. Second, it's loaded with white blood cells to destroy any invading organisms, and lastly, as it is expelled, it is flushing disease-causing microbes out of your body. It's not really helping you to heal any faster, but it IS helping you to not get sicker.