What You Should Know About Nighttime Asthma

20 million Americans suffer from asthma and many complain of symptoms during daytime hours. However, asthma can actually worsen during nighttime, particularly when you go sleep.There is no one cause for nighttime asthma, but, as quoted by the website webmd.boots.com "some factors may include, exposure to allergens at night, the cooling of the airways (including air-conditioning), the reclining position, hormone secretions that follow a circadian pattern or rhythm. Sleep itself may even cause changes in bronchial function."I inform my patients that it's important to be attentive to nighttime symptoms because a significant proportion of fatal asthma attacks in adults and children occurred between midnight and 8am. It's been reported, says the website About.com, that 74% of asthmatics have nighttime awakenings at least once a week.There are three ways to treat nighttime asthma:The first is to take medication at the prescribed time. Secondly use a peak flow meter. This allows patients to detect changes in lung function and warn them of an impending asthma attack before it occurs. And thirdly, avoid asthma triggers. Each asthma sufferer has a trigger that may differ another asthma suffer. So it's important to learn what triggers a patient's symptoms.The National Sleep Foundation states "that there is some evidence that people with asthma are at great risk of developing sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep. People with asthma may request a referral to a sleep center from their primary care physicians" or allergists.Questions about nighttime asthma? Seek out answers from a qualified healthcare professional. If you are in the NYC area, feel free to contact my office for a consultation, 212/247-7447.