Lung specialists at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney are gearing up for an Australian-first study delving into the causes of night time disturbances that leave COPD sufferers feeling fatigued through the day.
“Unfortunately for people with COPD it is common to have a restless night’s sleep, wake up during the night with breathing problems and then spend the day in a fatigued fog,” explains Professor Greg King, Woolcock Respiratory Physician and one of the Principal Investigators in the CIRCOMED study.
“What we want to know is whether these sleep troubles are caused by the COPD itself or by other problems, like a pre-existing sleep disorder or changes in lung function during sleep. By understanding the real cause, we can better target treatment and get these sufferers sleeping deeply again,” he says.
