Asthma and Sleep

Excerpt from National Sleep Foundation

People with asthma often suffer from nighttime coughing, wheezing and breathlessness that disturb their sleep. It is not clear whether there is a circadian rhythm factor (a circadian rhythm is a rhythm of biological functions occurring in a 24-hour periodic cycle) responsible for these nighttime disturbances or whether sleep in some way contributes to them, but studies designed to uncover the exact influence of sleep or circadian rhythms on asthma have been largely inconclusive.

Even so, many researchers believe that asthmatic symptoms are at least partly due to circadian rhythms and use the term "nocturnal asthma" to describe the phenomenon of asthma symptoms worsening at night.

Not all asthma sufferers experience nocturnal asthma. Those who do should discuss their symptoms with their doctor in order to develop a treatment plan that addresses the nighttime condition. People with asthma should also be aware that nocturnal asthma is associated with more severe disease and increased mortality.

Other articles

Refer to Bedding and Childs Asthma a study conducted that looked at "The bedding environment, sleep position, and frequent wheeze in Childhood"