WHY IS ASTHMA WORSE AT NIGHT?

There’s no consensus on what makes asthma get worse at night, but it happens to as many as three-quarters of asthma patients. Lung function is lower at night because our muscles relax while we sleep. This causes our airways to narrow, making breathing more difficult. Hormonal changes occur at night too, like lower cortisol levels, which have been shown to increase airway obstruction in some studies. Other factors can have an effect too: your sleeping position, exposure to allergens in the evening or at night, poorly controlled daytime asthma, and sleeping in a cold or air-conditioned room. Other conditions that can increase nighttime asthma symptoms include sleep apnea, sinusitis, and acid reflux. Allergic rhinitis can increase nighttime symptoms by 50 percent.

P.S. Nocturnal asthma is a condition that causes severe asthma symptoms before and during sleep.

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