Many people have experienced the situation of waking up in the middle of the night, gasping for air, troubled by the sensation of breathlessness.

Asthma also causes shortness of breath, which often occurs early in the morning or late at night. Asthma Shortness of breath has many causes affecting either the breathing passages and lungs or the heart or blood vessels. Despite being common, it can be uncomfortable and distressing to experience. Waking up suddenly at night gasping for breath, may be accompanied by symptoms such as severe wheezing and coughing, and a suffocating/choking feeling. Tightness in the throat or a barking, croupy cough. WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms cough, nighttime wheezing, shortness of breath and wheezing including Asthma (teen and … Some people with heart failure wake up in the middle of the night with severe shortness of breath. If you have shortness of breath at night, you should see your doctor. Excessively rapid breathing is referred to as hyperventilation. Shortness of breath while sleeping. Severe shortness of breath needs … Fortunately, when it is … The medical term for shortness of breath is dyspnea. Asthma also causes shortness of breath, which often occurs early in the morning or late at night. While these symptoms may occur at any time, with any activity or any position, there are certain specific causes when chest pain occurs when lying down. Smoke exposure. Your GP will assess you over the phone, and may either visit you at home or admit you to hospital. Shortness of breath after only slight activity or while at rest. Causes of acute shortness of breath can include: Asthma; Flare in COPD; Allergic reaction (such as bee stings) If asthma has already been diagnosed, nighttime shortness of breath may indicate a need to change the timing of when asthma medications are taken so they are more effective at night. Chest pain and shortness of breath are two different symptoms. Some heart rhythm disorders can cause a fluttering in the chest, shortness of breath, chest pain or dizziness. In a perfect world, you’d drift off to sleep peacefully each night and wake up in the morning feeling refreshed. Shortness of breath at night is a very specific symptom, often a pointer to one of a few conditions that may be affecting you. Platypnea is dyspnea that … Shortness of breath at night. Asthma restricts the airways by causing them to narrow and swell. Shortness of breath at night can be caused by many conditions from allergies and anxiety to heart and lung diseases. An average 150-pound (70 kilogram) adult will breathe at an average rate of 14 breaths per minute at rest. Your heart and lungs are involved in transporting oxygen to your tissues and removing carbon dioxide, and problems with either of these processes affect your breathing. Shortness of Breath at Night Author Dr. D.Roberts Published by March 27, 2017 Nighttime asthma, with symptoms like chest tightness, shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing at night, can make sleep impossible and leave you feeling tired and irritable throughout the day. The main symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath, which is a constant condition for those who have it. ... abnormal shortness of breath that can happen when you’re lying down. Take a look at some of these not so common causes for shortness of breath that you might not have thought of yet to see if you should be making any kind of changes in your life that will take care of the cause that’s been behind your discomfort and the symptoms you experience. If you experience frequent breathlessness, are awakened at night by shortness of breath, or experience wheezing or tightness in the throat, contact your physician for further evaluation. Your heart and lungs are involved in transporting oxygen to your tissues and removing carbon dioxide, and problems with either of these processes affect your breathing. Shortness of breath, or breathlessness, describes difficulty or discomfort when breathing. Most cases of shortness of breath are due to heart or lung conditions. Shortness of breath that comes on suddenly (called acute) has a limited number of causes, including: What causes shortness of breath and how can this problem be treated at home? Shortness of breath causes a discomfort in breathing that may be seen as abnormal for the level of fitness, age and state of health of the sufferer 2. The main symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath, which is a constant condition for those who have it.