NOCTURNAL ASTHMA AND SLEEP

Sleep is vital to the health and well-being of every aspect of our lives. Lack of sleep can cause heart problems and  depression and affect our ability to work and function normally. This is why nocturnal asthma so dangerous. Even when symptoms of coughing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest are mild, they can still interfere with the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Nocturnal asthma has its own inherent dangers as well. Most asthma-related deaths occur at night, possibly because airways tend to narrow during sleep, triggering coughing, which can create more tightness. Epinephrine, the hormone responsible for relaxing the muscles in the bronchial walls, also decreases when we are asleep.

P.S.  Ensuring that daytime asthma medicines will last into the night and monitoring lung functions with a peak flow meter can help alleviate nocturnal asthma symptoms.

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