Understanding how sleep disorders are managed in people with asthma: a scoping review of the literature.

Abstract

Objective: People with asthma may experience sleep disturbances due to uncontrolled asthma symptoms and/or co-occurring sleep disorders. Asthma shares pathophysiological pathways with sleep disorders including insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea and the interrelationship between asthma and sleep disorders is bi-directional. Insufficient sleep in general and in people with asthma leads to worsened mental and physical health. How this is managed in people with asthma is less known.

Data sources: This scoping review examines current literature around sleep health management employed by people with asthma and their care providers. Peer reviewed journal articles on sleep health interventions/management in adults with comorbid asthma were searched for in 4 databases, across 10 years, in a search strategy developed with medical librarians.

Study selection: The search led to the inclusion of 13 studies that met the review criteria, which reported sleep management interventions tested in people with sleep disorders comorbid with asthma.

Results: For people with obstructive sleep apnea and asthma, continuous positive pressure devices, oral appliances and bariatric surgery improved sleep and asthma outcomes. Improvements in other sleep disorders and asthma were shown with behavioral interventions and digital interventions including fitness tracker use.

Conclusion: The limited studies retrievable on this topic suggest management of sleep disorders in people with asthma is an under-researched area. Future research directed at how and when to assess sleep management in people with asthma will better inform specific guidelines and achieve improved sleep health in this population.