An abundance of nitric oxide is often at the route of night-time asthma. The attacks tend to occur right around 4 am just as melatonin supplies are used up. Adjusting the bedroom surroundings strengthens the melatonin/cortisol rhythm. That reduces the demands being made on melatonin earlier in the night so that there's enough to contain nitric oxide levels later, and ensures cortisol's rejuvenating break so that it can work efficiently to resolve the inflammation that provokes the attack.
What can I do?
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Avoid synthetic mattresses, mattress pads and bedding - they offer large doses of unbound Bisphenol A, Isocyanates and flame retardants.
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Avoid penetrating chemicals in personal care products
- Match the surface area of synthetic and natural furnishings
- Turn off wireless devices
- Unplug electrical equipment
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Recommended Reading - Books
The Sleep-Powered Wellness Workbook: Better Bedrooms for Better Sleep, by Angela Hobbs
Hobbs guides the reader through the 24 hour hormone rhythm revealing the many ways that a person's surroundings can be used to support it. A workbook packed with simple, inexpensive suggestions for exploiting our surroundings to support our most environmentally sensitive hormones.
Sleep-Powered Wellness: Better Bedrooms for Turbocharged Zzzz's, by Angela Hobbs
Hobbs discusses the impact that noise, wireless, light, electricity, chemicals and air pollutants can have on the hormones responsible for sleep and alertness, and ultimately on many common symptoms of ill health.
Life and Breath: The Breakthrough Guide to the Latest Strategies for Fighting Asthma and Other Respiratory Problems - At Any Age by Neil Schachter
Schachter explores the diet, exercise and lifestyle connection to asthma, heart disease, hypertension and some cancers and outlines a range of treatment options.