Table of contents:
- Why do people with asthma have trouble sleeping at night?
- How to sleep well during asthma
- 1. Clean the bedroom regularly
- 2. Make sure the mattress and pillows are always clean
- 3. Install a humidifier
- 4. Do not sleep with pets
- 5. Elevate the head while sleeping
- 6. Create a comfortable sleeping atmosphere
- 7. Take asthma medication as directed by your doctor
Asthma is a common respiratory disorder and often makes it difficult for people to sleep. Many people with severe asthma experience symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath that are worse at night. In addition to reducing sleep quality, lack of sleep can worsen asthma symptoms. No need to worry, you can follow some of the methods in this article to get a good night's sleep during asthma.
Why do people with asthma have trouble sleeping at night?
Some people with asthma may wake up frequently at night experiencing symptoms that are more severe than usual. This condition is known as nocturnal asthma.
The cause of asthma to recur at night is usually exposure to allergens, temperature, sleeping position, or the production of certain hormones that follow the body's biological clock.
Not only that, the symptoms of asthma and sinusitis also appear more often at night, especially if the mucus from the lungs blocks the respiratory tract. This condition can trigger the typical cough symptoms of asthma.
The phenomenon of difficulty sleeping and asthma can indeed affect each other. Asthma can cause sleep disturbances, and sleep disturbances can make asthma symptoms worse.
Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that can exacerbate inflammation in the bronchi (respiratory tract) of the lungs. This worsening inflammation can trigger asthma symptoms.
In addition, some of the other causes of asthma at night are:
- delayed response to daytime asthma triggers
- a drop in body temperature that triggers bronchospasm (tension in the muscles in the lungs)
- once a day asthma medication taken in the morning
- acid reflux at night
How to sleep well during asthma
There are several ways you can do to get a good night's sleep during asthma. This method can also help you reduce asthma attacks at night.
1. Clean the bedroom regularly
The bedroom is the place where you spend most of your time. So, make sure your bedroom is always clean and protected from various allergens, such as dust and insects.
Use a vacuum withhigh-efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA) to catch mites and other debris and remove them from your bedroom. Wash sheets and curtains or carpets in your room regularly.
This method is not only effective at helping you sleep better, but also can prevent asthma from recurring as a whole.
2. Make sure the mattress and pillows are always clean
Apart from the bedroom, cleaning the mattress and changing the sheets regularly are other ways that you must do so you don't have asthma and sleep well. Avoid putting dirty items such as bags or shoes near the bed. The dust that then sticks to the mattress can trigger asthma in some people.
Get in the habit of changing the sheets every 2-3 weeks. Thus, the condition of your bed will always be clean and avoid allergy triggers that aggravate asthma symptoms at night.
3. Install a humidifier
Cold air is indeed drier and poses a risk to people with severe asthma. Humidifier or a humidifier can help you keep the air in your bedroom moist.
Well, mites and dust are very "at home" in dry air. Hence, increase the humidity by using humidifier in your bedroom can help prevent dust and mite growth. This method is believed to be effective in helping sleep soundly when suffering from asthma.
4. Do not sleep with pets
Pets can be one of the allergens that can worsen your asthma symptoms. Your pet's hair can stick to your carpet or bedding and trigger asthma.
So, another way to get a good night's sleep during asthma is to keep pets out of the room. This is important to do so that the bedroom is free from animal hair that falls out or mites and bacteria from your pets.
5. Elevate the head while sleeping
Another way to improve sleep quality to make it more restful when asthma is to adjust the sleeping position accordingly. If you have a cold or sinusitis, lying flat can worsen the blockage in your airways. This can trigger an asthma attack at night.
In addition, if you have a history of acid reflux (GERD), lying flat while sleeping is also at risk of making asthma worse. The reason is, sleeping lying down may cause stomach acid to rise back up into the throat more quickly.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, this condition can injure the walls of the respiratory tract and throat, so that breathing is disturbed and coughing symptoms arise.
Therefore, while sleeping, you should place your head in a position that is higher than your feet. You can stack two pillows, or sleep using a pillow that is a little hard and thick.
6. Create a comfortable sleeping atmosphere
Another way to sleep well during asthma is to turn off all electronic devices, at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Also, turn off the bedroom lights and use a small night light as a light.
In addition, you can also consider doing meditation or exercise at least an hour before bed. Also make sure you choose the right type of exercise for asthma.
7. Take asthma medication as directed by your doctor
In some people, asthma medication must be taken regularly even though they are not feeling the symptoms of an asthma attack. The reason is, you never know when an asthma attack will come. So, remain disciplined in taking medication according to your doctor's recommendations. That way, you can sleep better even though you have asthma.
By doing these tips, you will find it easier to prevent asthma attacks at night and get better sleep
