If you suffer from breathlessness at night , you will likely wake up worried. Not only does it disturb your sleep, but there is also a fear that a serious illness is the cause of the breathing difficulties.
But how dangerous is the shortness of breath and what causes are responsible for the breathing difficulties?
First of all, it should be said that the doctor should always be consulted in the event of severe shortness of breath . The following causes can lead you to the right solution and with countermeasures you can alleviate the suffering. In the event of severe complaints, however, the doctor is always the first point of contact.
The shortness of breath becomes medically dyspnea [1]called. The following definition applies here.
Definition of dyspnea
Dyspnea is a subjectively felt shortness of breath or difficult breathing. The patient feels that they cannot get enough air. The external signs of dyspnea that the doctor will notice may be shallow and rapid breathing or pronounced deep breathing.
The definition is therefore deliberately very broad. It does not state that there must be a specific cause. By definition, it is initially just a subjective feeling . This means that psychosomatic causes [2]are not excluded. So you notice the shortness of breath, but there are no physical reasons for it and the oxygen supply is sufficient.
Dyspnea can occur in a number of different situations . A distinction is made here between the physical strain and the location.
From a Belastungsdypnoe is spoken when associated with physical activity occurs. Unfortunately I myself suffer from stress asthma [3]and can therefore understand how those affected feel. The breathing difficulties only occur when I do a very intensive and endurance-heavy sport . This is the case, for example, when I run in interval training and the load changes constantly. In contrast to this, strength training does not cause any breathing difficulties despite heavy physical exertion. There is no endurance exercise here.
Ruhedyspnoe
If the breathing difficulties occur without physical exertion, this is known as resting dyspnea. Causes can be poor cardiac output, reduced oxygen uptake or reduced oxygen transport.
If the dyspnea occurs independently of the physical performance , it is referred to as resting dyspnea . This is a major disorder [4] and is often due to poor heart and / or lungs.
In addition, the location in the case of shortness of breath is decisive. If this occurs only in certain positions , for example when lying down, it is called platypnea . Here the shortness of breath is improved by lying down.
In the opposite case, the term orthopnea is used in medicine . Here the shortness of breath occurs mainly when lying down , which could be due to heart failure .
So you realize that there are already a number of causes, mainly related to the heart and lungs. However, these are serious diseases that are associated with severe restrictions in everyday life.
If you only get a little heavier breath, there may be other, less threatening causes. You will find out more about them below.
LUNGE
The lungs are the core organs for breathing. If it is difficult for you to breathe, restrictions in the lungs could be responsible.
Serious causes can be a blood clot or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The latter is particularly common in smokers and increases oxidative stress [5].
High blood pressure or the build-up of mucus can also lead to breathing difficulties. If you have a cold, you will likely wake up during the night to cough up the phlegm. This is a common phenomenon and not yet a cause for concern. For example, high blood pressure could be related to being overweight and should be treated accordingly.
RESPIRATORY TRACT
The lungs are only responsible for “processing” the air. But it could also be the case that too little breathing air arrives in the Luge and not enough oxygen can be absorbed.
If there are abnormal changes in the nose or dry mouth , breathing can be impaired. The nasal septum may become crooked and make breathing difficult.
It could also be that you have eaten something and it is blocking your airways. A fishbone could go unnoticed at first, but lead to the problems while sleeping.
Asthma is also one of the causes that attack the airways and lead to shortness of breath at night . But asthma will be discussed separately.
HEART PROBLEMS
That the heart could be responsible for a shortness of breath does not immediately make sense. Non-medical professionals first have to find out how the heart is related to breathing in the first place.
Heart failure
If the heart is not able to transport enough oxygen, this leads to shortness of breath during the night.
It is responsible for transporting the oxygen-rich blood . If the heart is restricted in its performance, not enough oxygen is transported. This can lead to a rapid heart rate when falling asleep and, at the same time, shortness of breath. Because the body does not receive enough oxygen and instinctively wants to compensate for this.
An acute emergency could be a heart attack [6]are present. In this case, a blood vessel is blocked and the transport of the blood is impaired.
OTHER CAUSES
There does not always have to be a physical cause for the shortness of breath at night. It can also be psychosomatic .
If you are under a lot of stress , panic attacks can occur. These can lead to subjectively perceived shortness of breath. Also, anxiety can be responsible for the heavy breathing.
Local changes are also conceivable for these symptoms. If you spend your vacation at a higher altitude, maybe you are mountain climbing [7]and you are not used to the local climate, you may also experience shortness of breath. Because the oxygen content is lower there and the body has to get used to this fact.
I myself suffer from stress asthma, which is probably related to my house dust allergy . Therefore, I can tell myself how it is to wake up in the morning and can hardly breathe because the allergen load in bed is too great.
First of all, it should be said that there are very different forms of asthma. In extreme cases, asthma can even be fatal [8]being. A short wheezing may initially appear as a symptom . Then the shortness of breath occurs and the air supply is literally cut off.
In my form of stress asthma, I am describing the perception of breathing as if I were breathing through a thin straw . The more pronounced the asthma, the thinner the straw and the more difficult it is to breathe.
An asthma attack can also lead to a serious chain reaction . The breathing problems can cause panic and anxiety, which make breathing even more difficult. So it’s a vicious circle in which the air is getting thinner and thinner.
House dust allergy & asthma
If you suffer from a house dust allergy, there is a risk that a change of floor will take place and permanent asthma will occur.
The asthma is often triggered by allergens . In my case, these are dust mites in the bed or on the pillow . Since the house dust allergy is widespread, you should be examined for it. However, animal hair or flakes of skin can also be considered as allergens.
An allergy to certain grasses or pollen could also be responsible for the shortness of breath at night. If the breathing difficulties occur especially during the high pollen season, an examination for these allergens should be carried out.
In addition to allergens, mold and tobacco smoke can also lead to asthma and shortness of breath. Mold could sit unnoticed under the wallpaper and show its harmful effects.
In the city, pollution from fine dust [9]to be considered as one of the reasons for the asthma. If you live in an area with high air pollution, this should be taken into account for your symptoms.
First of all, it should be said that you have to discuss the symptoms with a doctor. Afterwards, he can take specific measures that lead to an improvement. Some remedial actions may be contraindicating for other cases.
If you are very overweight, an exercise program and a healthier diet are good recommendations to help relieve breathlessness. For people with heart failure, however, exercise could be life-threatening. Therefore, only “safe” methods that do not pose a risk are presented in the following.
AIR CLEANER
The air quality is a major trigger for shortness of breath. This is not always the case when, for example, the lungs or heart are severely affected.
But if you want to improve your quality of life and take action yourself, you can filter pollutants in your bedroom with an air purifier.
It is important that you use a model that also filters allergens. If you suffer from an allergy, the air filter will certainly be able to alleviate your symptoms.
ALLERGY VACUUM CLEANER
The air purifier is relatively unspecific. It filters all the air and creates a better climate. But what should be done if the allergens are in the mattress or in upholstered furniture ?
There are special vacuum cleaners that you can use to remove allergens from furniture. The excrement of mites or animal hair, for example, is sucked in by the suction force. This reduces the exposure to allergens and makes breathing easier.
HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE
Apart from these two methods, which are particularly suitable for asthmatics and allergy sufferers, a healthy lifestyle is another means of relieving breathlessness at night.
way of life
Eat a balanced diet, reduce stress and ensure adequate sleep hygiene. In many cases there is significant relief of symptoms and breathing becomes easier.
Do you suffer from being overweight [10], you should reduce this and reach your ideal weight. With regard to sleep apnea in particular, there is a clear connection between body weight and the pathological stress .
You should also reduce stress and increase the quality of sleep. If the stress in your job is high and can hardly be reduced, compensation is necessary. Try meditation or light exercise to cope with the stress and sleep better.
If you find that you are breathing poorly while sleeping and even wake up from it, you should discuss with a doctor what the reasons may be. In most cases it will be an allergy or stress . In the case of particularly severe shortness of breath, the heart or lungs could also be considered.
In general, you should ensure fresh air in your bedroom and reduce the exposure to allergens. A clean room, which is regularly ventilated before going to bed, is a necessary prerequisite for reducing breathlessness.
In addition, it is important to reduce stress and live healthier . In consultation with the doctor, it should hopefully be possible to get this problem under control for you.
Hello, I’m Jamie Clark, 32 years old, and I have been living in the USA for a few years.
Since I was a child, I have suffered from a house dust allergy, severely affecting me. I felt the effects both while exercising and while sleeping. Constant sneezing after getting up and difficult breathing were the consequences. The allergy has also developed into asthma, which is still a sporting restriction today.