Nocturnal asthma, also called nighttime asthma, causes asthma symptoms at night. Someone with nocturnal asthma may not experience asthma symptoms during the day. When the person tries to sleep, they may be disturbed or awakened by asthma symptoms.

Certain naturally occurring changes in the body during sleep may aggravate asthma. The body temperature and temperature of the airway may cool. A low body temperature has been associated with asthma symptoms. Also, the airway may narrow as mucous builds in the airway which can trigger asthma symptoms. Lying down can cause sinus drainage to accumulate in the airway.

Some believe that the sleep-wake cycle may provoke asthma symptoms in some people with nighttime asthma. Fluctuations in hormones during sleep may be part of the reason why people have asthma symptoms at night. Epinephrine is a hormone that keeps the airway open and suppresses the release of histamine which can trigger allergic asthma. The level of epinephrine is lowest in the early morning hours. Therefore, the lack of epinephrine can make the person susceptible to asthma symptoms.

Some medical conditions may be causing the nocturnal asthma symptoms. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can trigger asthma symptoms. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is often worse at night when the person is lying down to sleep. When stomach acid irritates the esophagus, it may trigger a bronchial spasm which can lead to asthma symptoms. Sleep apnea is a disorder that interrupts a person’s breathing while sleeping. A doctor may order a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea as a contributing factor to the asthma symptoms.

Treating nighttime asthma is extremely important. Most deaths due to asthma occur at night and in early morning hours. Therefore, it is important for someone with nighttime asthma to get asthma help to control the symptoms. The individual can address any known triggers that may be aggravating nighttime asthma symptoms. Allergens in the bedroom, such as mold, tobacco smoke, and dust, should be eliminated as much as possible. If the person has gastroesophageal reflux disease, the condition should be treated.

Asthma help also comes in the form of medical care. Anyone with nighttime asthma symptoms should be diagnosed and treated. The doctor is likely to order a lung function test to determine if asthma is causing the symptoms. If the person is diagnosed with asthma, the next step is to find the appropriate asthma medication. The doctor may describe an asthma inhaler to use before bedtime to prevent nighttime symptoms of asthma. Another option is a daily oral medication to prevent asthma symptoms.