Sleep in Interstitial Lung Disease

Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) suffer from poor quality of life and increased mortality. The poor quality of life is multifactorial, attributable in large part to respiratory symptoms and limitations, medication side effects, and the psychiatric effects of chronic illness. Sleep is affected by these same stresses, resulting in poor sleep quality and sleep disordered breathing. Sleep fragmentation, arousals, and Stage N1 sleep are all increased in patients with ILD. Sleep disordered breathing, in the form of nocturnal hypoxia and obstructive sleep apnea, is common in these patients as well. These sleep disorders are associated with indices of poor quality of life and excessive daytime sleepiness, and may be targets of therapy for the overall management of patients with ILD.