allergie

Dust mites and asthma in adults: why you get short of breath at night

By Jurre Klein Nijenhuis · 5 November 2026

Short answer

Many people with asthma are allergic to dust mites. In allergic asthma, the allergen inflames and narrows the airways, causing shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. These symptoms are often worst at night and early in the morning, because in bed you are exposed to dust mites for hours. Your GP makes the diagnosis with a lung function test and an allergy test.

What is allergic asthma caused by dust mites?

With asthma, the airways are oversensitive. In allergic asthma, your immune system overreacts to an allergen, such as dust mite droppings. The airways then become inflamed and narrow, making breathing harder. Allergic asthma is a common form and can develop at any age, even if you had no symptoms as a child.

Many people with allergic asthma also have nasal symptoms, such as sneezing or a blocked nose. Read more about those symptoms in dust mite allergy: recognising the symptoms.

Why are you more short of breath at night?

Prolonged exposure

In bed you spend hours with your nose and mouth close to your pillow, mattress and duvet, the places with the most allergen.

Lying down

When you lie down, the airways narrow slightly. Symptoms that are mild during the day can flare up at night.

After getting up

Making the bed, plumping pillows or vacuuming the bedroom stirs up allergen.

How do you recognise asthma caused by dust mites?

Signs that fit allergic asthma caused by dust mites:

Shortness of breath, breathlessness or a tight feeling in the chest.
Wheezing or a rattling breath.
Coughing, especially at night or early in the morning.
Symptoms that increase in the bedroom, when vacuuming or in autumn.
Sneezing, a blocked nose or itchy eyes at the same time.

These symptoms can also have other causes. Only your GP can determine whether it is asthma, and whether dust mites play a role.

How is allergic asthma diagnosed?

Consultation with your GPAbout your symptoms, when they occur, what triggers them and whether asthma or allergies run in the family.
Lung function testYou blow as hard as you can into a device. If the result improves after a bronchodilator, that points to asthma.
Allergy testA blood test or skin prick test shows whether you are allergic to dust mites. How to read that result is explained in reading your allergy test: class and IgE value.

What can you do about asthma caused by dust mites?

Treatment consists of two parts that complement each other.

Treatment via your GP

Bronchodilators against shortness of breath
Anti-inflammatory medication that makes the airways less sensitive
Antihistamines for nose and eye symptoms
Immunotherapy in some cases

Less exposure at home

Wash bedding every week at 60 °C
Few textiles in the bedroom
Ventilate well, no humidifier
Clean mattress and sofa regularly

Frequently asked questions about dust mites and asthma

Can you develop asthma from dust mites as an adult?

Yes. Allergic asthma can develop at any age, even if you had no airway symptoms as a child.

Does allergic asthma go away by itself?

Usually not completely. With good treatment and less exposure to the allergen, symptoms can be well controlled.

Does an air purifier help with asthma caused by dust mites?

Dust mite allergen is relatively heavy and sits mainly in textiles, not in the air for long. An air purifier only partly solves that. More in does an air purifier help against dust mites?

Sources (in Dutch)

This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your GP or pulmonologist.