Lung Health Basics: 

Sleep

Lung health and sleep are linked in complex ways. People with lung disease often have 

trouble sleeping. Symptoms of lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 

(COPD) or asthma can cause sleep problems. In turn, poor sleep can cause lung disease 

symptoms to worsen. Sleep is critical to overall health, so take the first step to sleeping better: 

learn these sleep terms, and find out about treatments that can help with sleep apnea.

Sleep health refers to consistently 

getting enough sleep that is of 

good quality to wake up feeling 

rested and alert, at the appropriate 

time for sleep. Maintaining sleep 

health promotes physical and 

mental well-being. 

Sleep deficiency occurs if you 

experience one or more of the 

following: 

• Not getting enough sleep.

• Sleeping at inconsistent times.

• Not sleeping well or getting 

the different types of sleep 

the body needs, such as deep 

sleep, which is when the body 

repairs itself.

• Having a sleep disorder that prevents getting 

enough sleep or causes poor quality sleep.

Sleep Terms

• Sleep health 

• Sleep 

deficiency

• Insomnia

• Obstructive 

sleep apnea

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder. With 

insomnia, a person may have trouble falling asleep, 

staying asleep, or getting good quality sleep, 

leading to impairments in daytime functioning. 

It may get in the way of your daily activities, and 

make a person feel sleepy during the day.

Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the upper 

airway becomes blocked many times while you 

sleep, which reduces or completely stops airflow 

into the lungs. This is the most common type of 

sleep apnea. 

nhlbi.nih.gov/breathebetter 1
Sleep Terms

• GERD

• Circadian 

rhythms

• Sleep study

• CPAP

• BiPAP

• APAP

• HGNS

• Oral devices

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when a muscle 

called a sphincter at the end of your esophagus does not close 

properly. This allows stomach contents to leak back, or reflux, into 

the esophagus and irritate it. Some people with obstructive sleep 

apnea also have GERD, which can disrupt sleep.

Circadian rhythms 

are 24-hour cycles of 

the body’s internal 

clock that control the 

activity of cells and 

organs and influence 

behavior. 

A sleep study is a test 

that measures different 

body functions while 

you sleep, such as 

breathing, heart rate, 

and brain activity. It 

may be done at home, 

in a hospital, or in a 

sleep study clinic.

A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) 

machine uses mild air pressure to keep the airway 

between your nose and your throat open while 

you sleep. A healthcare provider may prescribe 

it for sleep-related breathing disorders like sleep 

apnea. 

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) 

machines are like CPAP machines, but they 

deliver different pressure based on whether you 

are inhaling or exhaling. 

Automatic positive airway pressure (APAP)

automatically adjusts the air pressure a person 

receives during sleep.

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) is a sleep apnea treatment that uses electrical pulses 

that activate the hypoglossal nerve to keep the airway between the nose and throat open. 

Oral devices are worn in your mouth while you sleep. They hold your jaw or tongue in a position 

that helps keep your airway open.

For more information about sleep health and research, visit www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sleep

NIH Publication No. 24-HL-8220 

January 2024 2