China: A decade-long study has suggested that regularly enjoying a good night’s sleep could significantly reduce the risk of developing asthma.

The study found that poor sleep patterns may bolster genetic susceptibility to asthma, potentially doubling the risk of being diagnosed with the condition. The findings were published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research.

The research team from Shandong University in China used data from the UK Biobank study to examine 455,405 people aged 38 to 73. The researchers further developed a model of risk and sleep traits and followed participants for more than a decade.

People were asked about their sleeping patterns, including whether they were a morning person or a night owl, how long they slept for, whether they snored or had insomnia, and whether they experienced excessive sleepiness during the day.

Over the decade of follow-up, 17,836 people were diagnosed with asthma. Compared with those at low genetic risk, those with the highest genetic risk were 47 percent more likely to be diagnosed with asthma, while those with a poor sleep pattern were 55 percent more likely.

People at high genetic risk who also reported poor sleep patterns were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with asthma as those with a healthy sleep pattern and a low genetic risk. Meanwhile, a healthy sleep pattern decreased the risk of asthma by 44 percent in those with low genetic risk, by 41 percent in those with intermediate risk, and by 37 percent in those with high genetic risk.

According to the researchers, these results showed that a healthy sleep pattern could significantly decrease asthma risk in any genetic subgroup.

“Unhealthy sleep patterns and a sleep trait were significantly associated with the risk of asthma in adults. The combination of a poor sleep pattern and high susceptibility could lead to an additive asthma risk. A healthier sleep pattern could be beneficial in asthma prevention regardless of genetic conditions,” the report added.

Dr. Erika Kennington, the head of research and innovation at the charity Asthma and Lung UK, commented that “this research suggests there is a link between asthma and not getting enough sleep, although it is too early to say that treating poor sleep could reduce someone’s risk of developing asthma.”

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