Sleep, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Circadian Rhythms

A non-reversible obstructive inflammatory process of the small airways and destruction of the alveolar walls characterizes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). One of the direct consequences is poorer quality sleep. It has also been proven that sleep-related symptoms correspond to significant changes in the respiratory center, airway resistance, and muscle contractility. The main sleep disorder that these patients may present is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), which is characterized by repetitive airway obstruction during sleep with complete or partial cessation of airflow. This alteration can have effects on the circadian rhythm of the sleep-wake cycle, such as a desynchronization of the light-dark cycle or endogenously desynchronized, resulting in: insomnia, fatigue, and poor performance in daily activities and symptoms such as insomnia or hypersomnia, common in patients with circadian sleep disorders, although there are other causes to which they can be attributed and that must be excluded before making the diagnosis of a circadian sleep disorder. In a patient without another sleep pathology, a daily record of activities, meals, exercise, naps, and bedtime is an essential tool to evaluate circadian sleep disorders.