The Asthma Center

Why do I wheeze at night?

Night time wheezing is generally referred to as nocturnal asthma. There are at least three reasons for wheezing at night or early in the morning:

  • You are allergic to house dust, dust mites, animal dander and/or other allergens. After inhaling these allergens for a few hours, you may begin to develop allergic asthmatic symptoms.
     
  • There is a natural decrease in circulating corticosteroids and epinephrine substances in the body late at night. These reach a low point about 2:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m. each morning and may play a role in nocturnal asthma.
     
  • You may suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This may be associated with a hiatal hernia. In these situations, stomach acid may be regurgitated and/or aspirated at night while in a reclined position. Acid reflux can cause marked bronchospasm.