Summary of How Poor Sleep Habits Could Double Your Asthma Risk:
Poor quality sleep may increase an individual’s genetic susceptibility to asthma, potentially doubling the risk of diagnosis, according to a large UK Biobank study published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research. The study analyzed the sleep patterns and genetic asthma risk scores of 455,405 participants between the ages of 38 and 73, finding that people with high genetic risk and poor sleep patterns were 122% more likely to be diagnosed with asthma than those with low genetic risk and a healthy sleep pattern. Early detection and treatment of sleep disorders could help reduce these risks, irrespective of genetic predisposition. A healthy sleep pattern seems linked to a lower risk of asthma, and detecting and treating sleep disorders early on might lessen the chances, irrespective of genetic predisposition. Observational study results apply only to people of European ancestry and may be subject to a ‘healthy volunteer’ selection bias.
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Good Sleep is Crucial for Lung Health, Study Shows
A new study by UK Biobank has found that poor quality sleep can increase an individual’s genetic susceptibility to asthma, potentially doubling their risk of being diagnosed with the condition. The study, which analyzed 455,405 participants aged 38 to 73, found that people with high genetic asthma risk scores and poor sleep patterns were 122% more likely to be diagnosed with asthma than those with low genetic risk and healthy sleep patterns. Additionally, the researchers suggested that early detection and treatment of sleep disorders could help reduce the risk of asthma, irrespective of genetic predisposition.
Healthy Sleep Patterns Linked to Lower Risk of Asthma in Adults
The study showed that individuals with a healthy sleep pattern, defined as being an early chronotype, getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night, never or rarely experiencing insomnia, no snoring, and no frequent daytime sleepiness had a lower risk of asthma. Seventy-three thousand two hundred twenty-three participants satisfied the criteria for a healthy sleep pattern, 284,267 were categorized as having an intermediate sleep pattern, and 97,915 had a poor sleep pattern. The researchers concluded that a healthy sleep pattern might reduce asthma risk even in those at high genetic risk by 37%, suggesting that a healthy sleep pattern could provide a lifestyle intervention for preventing future asthma.
Observational Study Finds Possible Two-Way Association Between Sleep and Asthma
The study does not prove causation but suggests a potential two-way association between sleep and asthma. The researchers hypothesized that the negative effect of sleep disorders on asthma, which is generally considered a chronic inflammatory disease, might be mediated by sleep-induced chronic inflammation. The researchers suggest that immune responses to inflammation could generate pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to cellular infiltration and airway inflammation, further increasing the risk of asthma.
Sleep Disorders Could Be Recommended as an Effective Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Future Asthma
While the study has several limitations, such as only providing information on individuals aged between 38 and 73 and being subject to a “healthy volunteer” selection bias, the research highlights the importance of healthy sleep patterns to reduce asthma risks, particularly for individuals with high-risk genetics. The researchers conclude that poor sleep and high genetic susceptibility yielded a greater than twofold asthma risk; sleep patterns could be recommended as an effective lifestyle intervention to prevent future asthma. Therefore, early detection and treatment of sleep disorders should be a priority to reduce asthma risks irrespective of genetic predisposition.
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