Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung conditions affecting breathing and airflow, including chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. It affects over 15 million adults in the US only and is a primary cause of mortality. Common COPD symptoms include shortness of breath, chest tightness, persistent cough, and wheezing, all of which tend to worsen when lying down, i.e. when sleeping.
Hence, we can conclude that there’s a strong link between COPD and sleep. Let’s delve deeper and explore the relationship between COPD exacerbations and sleep quality.
The Link Between COPD and Sleep Quality
According to a recent study, poor sleep is strongly connected with a highly increased risk of COPD exacerbations. Precisely speaking, people who’ve been experiencing poor sleep are at a 25% to 95% higher risk of having COPD exacerbations, compared to those who’ve been getting enough quality sleep. The study also found that poor sleep is an even more serious risk factor than a patient’s history of smoking.
A COPD exacerbation is a period of worsened COPD symptoms that usually lasts for several days, but it can also last for weeks. Such events can be triggered by a range of factors such as respiratory infections, pollutants, allergens, etc. So, how is poor sleep connected? The thing is that the immune system weakens when a person doesn’t get quality sleep, making them more prone to getting infections.
However, the connection between sleep and COPD has long been known, and experts have been aware that COPD patients experience sleep issues. Still, the impact of poor sleep and it being considered as a trigger of COPD exacerbations has been understudied. That said, further research is needed, although this study has provided enough evidence to suggest that a lack of quality sleep can worsen COPD symptoms.
The Study and the Findings
The above-mentioned study included nearly 1,6500 diagnosed COPD patients. They were all or used to be, cigarette users, and they’ve undergone at least one sleep study. The researchers took records of patients’ COPD flare-ups for over three years and then compared the findings with their sleep quality. All participants used a tool for analyzing their sleep quality, which featured a mix of seven sleep measures, like timing of sleep, sleep durations, frequency of sleep disturbances, etc.
Based on these sleep measures and the number of COPD flare-ups, researchers found that poor sleep strongly contributed to a higher total of COPD exacerbation events. Those who were at the margin of poor sleep were at a 25% higher risk of having a COPD flare-up in a year, while those who had the worst sleep were at an almost 95% higher risk of having a COPD flare-up event within the next year.
Furthermore, the study suggests that even though the findings apply to all races, it is particularly relevant for Black Americans, as past studies show that this group has poorer sleep quality compared to other races and ethnicities. Therefore, since poor sleep is a risk factor for COPD exacerbations, this study confirms that Black Americans suffering from COPD tend to experience worse COPD symptoms.
Final Thoughts
The connection between COPD and sleep is evident. The study has found strong evidence suggesting that poorer sleep contributes to COPD exacerbations. However, it is not yet found whether or not improved sleep quality can improve COPD outcomes. With that in mind, further research is more than needed.