Poor sleep makes asthma more likely

(CNN, KYMA/KECY) - A new study says poor sleep may put you at a greater risk of developing asthma.

Researchers in the UK already knew that people with asthma often have sleep issues and that asthma can get worse at night.

They asked the question, 'Can poor sleep actually cause the common respiratory disease?'

A 10-year study that looked at 450,000 people seems to indicate the answer is yes.

The authors say people with a genetic predisposition and poor sleep habits were twice as likely to develop asthma than people in a low-risk group.

The study indicates that getting a good night's sleep can even help people born with a genetic susceptibility to the condition.

The research was published in the Journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research.

According to the CDC, adults need at least seven hours of sleep a night.

But the agency says one in three Americans have a sleep deficit.