Chronic lung diseases can be aggravated by various factors and comorbidities, including sleep-disordered breathing. Although changes in the quality of life of patients with chronic lung disease are usually related to daytime variables, the physiological changes in sleep impair the quality of sleep and interfere with the natural history of the disease. Alterations in sleep architecture appear to be a common mechanism in these diseases. During sleep, the upper and lower airways are more interconnected: changes in upper airway resistance during sleep are added to the severe resistive alterations in the lower airways due to asthma and COPD. In addition, there are complex mechanical and ventilatory interactions. The recognition of these interactions allows better assessment of the exacerbations and the progression of chronic lung diseases.
Sleep; Asthma; Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Lung diseases, interstitial