Asthma and Nighttime Nocturnal Asthma Information from ibreathe.com


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asthma and nighttime: what’s the connection?

Does it seem like your asthma control goes down with the sun? If you find yourself feeling pretty good all day—only to wake up with symptoms in the night, you're not alone. This situation was described in medical writings from more than 1500 years ago.

For years, people have referred to waking up at night with asthma symptoms as "nocturnal asthma" or "nighttime asthma. " But don't be misled—asthma is a condition you have 24 hours a day, every day. You need to treat it all the time so you can help control symptoms both during the day and at night. Let's look at what makes nighttime more of a challenge for people with asthma.

lying down may be part of the problem
Lying down can make heartburn, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), worse. GERD is caused by stomach acid backing up into your esophagus or sometimes into your throat or windpipe as well. Many people with asthma have heartburn or GERD. Healthcare professionals believe that treating GERD aggressively may help to improve asthma symptoms in people who have both conditions.

It is best not to eat late or snack after dinner—but, you should ask your healthcare professional about GERD if you are having nighttime asthma symptoms.

is your bedroom making matters worse?
The bedroom may be the worst room in the house for a person with asthma. Pillows, bedding, and rugs or carpet all attract dust and invisible dust mites that can trigger asthma symptoms. What to do?

Encase your mattress and pillow in a special dust-proof cover.
Replace old pillows with new ones at least once every 5 years.
Wash the sheets and blankets on the bed each week in hot water. Water must be hotter than 130°F (this kills dust mites).
During the day, keep dust off your bed by covering the entire bed with a bedspread. At night, take off the bedspread and put it in another room.

other possible causes of nighttime asthma:
Healthcare professionals are looking into other possible causes of nighttime asthma, such as:

Cooling of the airways, which happens when you sleep
Less adrenaline and cortisol—These are 2 hormones your body makes that help keep your asthma in check. They are at their lowest levels at night between about 4AM and 8PM

your daily treatment plan can help
Your asthma treatment plan may be adjusted to include controller medications, like a long-acting bronchodilator, to help control wheezing and coughing throughout the night. So be sure to tell your healthcare professional about any symptoms you're having, and together you can create a treatment plan to help control your asthma symptoms around the clock.