Association Of Insomnia In Patients With Poorly Controlled Asthma

Sleep difficulties (insomnia) are commonly reported by patients with asthma. Sleep disturbances may result from poor control of underlying lung disease, thereby disrupting sleep.

• It has long been recognized that many patients with asthma experience worsening symptoms at night.
• This is mainly due to circadian variations in airway caliber.
• Insomnia associated with asthma is also called as Nocturnal Asthma.
• The small airways of the lungs are commonly affected in pediatric and adult asthma. 
• Insomnia is highly prevalent in adults with asthma and is associated with worse asthma control, higher prevalence of depression, and anxiety symptoms.
• Sleep stage may also influence nocturnal asthma, with increased lower airways resistance.
• Patients with asthma commonly report difficulty with sleep; however, the prevalence of insomnia and its association with asthma affects the quality of life and day time sleepiness.
• On the evaluation of few cases it showed that associations between difficulty falling asleep and frequent awakenings at night and nocturnal asthma symptoms, both of which are indications of poor asthma control.
• Few results also show that poor sleep maybe not be solely due to nighttime awakenings due to asthma symptoms but may also represent comorbid insomnia.
• Comorbid insomnia appears to significantly affect asthma outcomes.
• It was also found the people with asthma have difficulty sleeping as they suffer from night-time coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness that disturb their sleep.

Coping Insomnia associated with Asthma

• Take the medication at the prescribed time – this is very important in managing asthma symptom
• It is also observed that people with asthma are at greater risk of developing sleep apnea. Visit to a sleep center is required to determine whether a person with asthma also suffers from sleep apnea.