It is well known that most asthma attacks occur at night. In fact the majority of emergency room visits and asthma related deaths occur between midnight and 8:00AM. There are numerous reasons for this. First of all, our airways become smaller when we fall asleep. This is due to changes in the nervous system, changes in levels of anti inflammatory hormones, and body’s lower temperature while sleeping. Frequently overlooked is the occurrence of night time reflux of acid into the esophagus (GERD). This can worsen asthma as well. In fact, reflux may occur without obvious symptoms other than the worsening of asthma. In addition, undetected Sleep Apnea (stopping breathing while asleep) may be a factor as well. The conditions above that worsen asthma at night can be very easily diagnosed and treated. A sleep study can diagnose sleep apnea, reflux can be diagnosed with a probe that detects acid in the esophagus. There are also excellent medications available for suppressing inflammation in the airway at night.
Sleep and Asthma
