How your sleeping habits affect the condition – Firstpost

Do you sleep for four to five hours a day? Are your sleeping patterns irregular? Poor sleep habits are linked to several diseases including asthma. Studies that link asthma with sleep patterns give you another reason to pay more attention to it.

Asthma, a chronic respiratory condition characterised by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, has various triggers, including environmental factors and genetic predispositions. It affects about 300 million people across the world. But scientists are unable to find out why some people develop the condition and some do not.

Recent studies have shed light on the intricate relationship between sleep patterns and the development or worsening of asthma symptoms.

What studies say?

The findings from China’s Shandong University published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research last year, show a “bidirectional” link between sleep and asthma adding that those with poor sleep patterns have “an additive higher asthma risk”.

A team from Shandong University in China analysed data from the UK Biobank study to examine the sleeping patterns of 455,405 people, aged 38 to 73, to find that, poor sleep and high genetic susceptibility combined doubled the risk of asthma. In contrast “a healthy sleep pattern was associated with a lower risk of asthma”.

“Early detection and management of sleep disorders could be beneficial to reduce asthma incidence,” the study said.

The research also focused on enhancing sleep hygiene, which could help prevent 19 per cent of asthma instances additionally reflecting that healthy sleeping habits are “beneficial to asthma prevention regardless of genetic conditions”.

A healthy sleep pattern decreased the risk of asthma by 44 per cent in those at low genetic risk, 41 per cent in those at intermediate risk, and 37 per cent in those with high genetic risk.

But it is not only the lack of sleep that affects patients. Too much sleep can also be a problem.

According to a 2020 article in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), excessive sleep can negatively impact adults with asthma occasionally.

Faith Luyster, PhD, lead author of the study, said, “Our study shows that adults with asthma are equally affected by too little (or sometimes too much) sleep. Compared to normal sleepers, short and long sleepers had a higher proportion of people who reported having an asthma attack in the past year and had more days with impaired health-related quality of life. Impaired quality of life was characterised by more days of poor physical and mental health.”

The India context

The studies hold particular importance for India, where extended work hours and commuting have contributed to rising sleep deficiencies and disorders in the young working population.

Dr Vivek Anand Padegal, director of pulmonology at the Fortis Hospital told The Indian Express, “Poor sleep quality has been linked to an increased risk of developing asthma. This is due to its potential to trigger inflammation and immune system dysfunction, which can lead to a worsening of the condition.”

While we sleep, our lungs’ airway muscles relax, leading them to narrow and increase greater resistance in breathing. For those suffering from asthma, the airways are already narrow and hence attacks during the night are common.

According to Sajeev Nair, founder and chairman of Vieroots Wellness Solutions, a health and wellness firm, nocturnal asthma can lead to sleep loss, which will lead to more serious asthma attacks, creating a vicious cycle.

He wrote in The Times of India, “Our bodies tend to crave rest and sleep after the sun sets and sunlight wanes, and our bodies are energised when the sun rises and sunlight gets abundant. Hence, rule no 1 for asthma patients is to respect their body clock and get to sleep by 9 pm or 10 pm, when the natural sleep drive peaks…”

With inputs from agencies

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