History of type 2 diabetes, heart failure, or strokeįurther, experts note that nighttime symptoms in COPD patients may be overlooked by physicians, suggesting that overlap syndrome is more common than what is currently known.Polycythemia (high concentration of red blood cells in your blood).Increased daytime carbon dioxide saturation (hypercapnia).
Since wheezing and coughing can understandably make falling asleep very difficult, some COPD patients attempt to sleep while sitting upright in a chair. People with lung disorders commonly report that breathing is more difficult while lying down, so patients with COPD may notice their symptoms worsen when they get into bed. Over 75% of individuals with COPD report nighttime symptoms and difficulty sleeping. Sleep deprivation negatively impacts focus, memory, judgment, and mood, and can make you feel very tired during the day. When people with COPD experience sleep disruptions and don’t get enough sleep, they become sleep deprived. Hypoxemia especially impacts rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the stage of sleep where dreams occur. Severe COPD is often characterized by hypoxemia during the day, and worse daytime hypoxemia is correlated with more episodes of hypoxemia during sleep. Those with COPD can also experience oxygen desaturation (hypoxemia), or reduced oxygen levels in the blood. Drugs like theophylline (Theo-24, Theochron, Elixophylline) improve chest symptoms in COPD patients but reduce sleep quality for some. In addition to the symptoms of COPD, some medications used to treat COPD can make sleeping problems worse. Overall reduced sleep time and sleep quality may also occur. People who have a hard time breathing at night due to COPD may wake frequently and have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, throughout the night. Sleep troubles are common in those who suffer from COPD. Can Breathing Difficulties from COPD Affect Sleep? COPD is a progressive disorder, which means that it gets worse over time, leading to shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, persistent cough, and susceptibility to infections like pneumonia. Secondhand smoke, exposures to other pollutants, and more rarely, genetic conditions, can also increase the risk of developing COPD. Smoking is the primary cause of COPD, with smoking history noted in up to 75% of COPD cases. Many people who have COPD suffer from both.ĬOPD affects almost 16 million people in the United States alone and is the third most common cause of death due to disease. COPD includes emphysema, which is characterized by damage to lung tissue, and chronic bronchitis, which involves a persistent, mucus-producing cough. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterized by obstructed airflow that impairs breathing in and out of the lungs.