Asthmatic symptoms can worsen during the night or early in the morning. Many people wake up in the middle of the night due to wheezing, coughing, breathlessness, choking sensation and tightness in the chest. There are five main reasons why asthma worsens at night: Dust mites are more commonly found on bed sheets, mattresses, pillows, etc. Thus, you have increased exposure to dust mites at night.

Colder temperature at night can trigger asthma. Nearly fifty per cent of the people with asthma develop delayed reaction to allergens and irritants. Most of these symptoms develop four to eight hours after exposure. Since the risk of exposure is greater during the day, its reaction is more likely to develop at night.

Some hormones influence relaxation of the muscles of the respiratory passages and therefore help them to remain open. These hormone levels are very low between midnight and early morning. Reduced hormone levels can trigger asthma by narrowing the airways. Heartburn is more common at night when you are in a reclining position.

It may be difficult to identify the allergens or irritants that trigger asthma because you may be sensitive to more than one substance. It is desirable that once the acute symptoms are controlled, you record all the substances that you were exposed to during the twelve hour period before the attack. This will help you identify your asthma triggers and enable your doctor to recommend the most effective treatment.