Breathe Better, Sleep Better

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Sleep problems and respiratory symptoms such as persistent fatigue, snoring, coughing, and shortness of breath can indicate underlying conditions that warrant medical evaluation, according to Dr. Arauco Brown of Pulmonary & Sleep Center of the Valley.

Brown said patients often become accustomed to symptoms that could indicate a sleep or respiratory disorder. Waking up exhausted despite spending enough time asleep, frequent snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness are among the warning signs he said should not be routinely dismissed.

“Sometimes we tolerate too much waking up tired,” Brown said.

Daytime sleepiness can become particularly concerning when a person falls asleep during normal activities. Brown said patients may doze off while watching television with family or even feel themselves falling asleep while stopped at a traffic light. Those symptoms should prompt an evaluation for a possible sleep disorder.

Pulmonary & Sleep Center of the Valley treats patients with respiratory conditions ranging from common airway diseases to pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease. The practice’s goal is to help Rio Grande Valley residents breathe better while improving quality of life for patients with advanced lung disease.

The center uses a multidisciplinary approach that includes advanced lung disease care, interventional pulmonology, pulmonary rehabilitation and pulmonary function testing. Having those resources locally is particularly important for patients with complex conditions that previously could require traveling outside the Valley for specialized care.

Recognizing symptoms early is an important part of that care.

Unexplained shortness of breath, persistent coughing and other respiratory changes can warrant evaluation by a pulmonologist. Some complex pulmonary diseases may initially be attributed to more common conditions, including asthma or allergies. When symptoms persist despite treatment, further evaluation may be necessary.

Sleep disorders can similarly affect health beyond nighttime rest.

Brown described sleep as the body’s “healing time,” allowing people to recover from the demands of the day. When a sleep disorder repeatedly disrupts that process, a person may spend seven or eight hours in bed and still wake feeling tired.

Patients with severe sleep apnea may repeatedly awaken as their bodies respond to an obstructed airway, preventing them from progressing normally through stages of sleep. In more severe cases involving chronically low oxygen levels, sleep apnea can also affect cardiovascular and pulmonary health.

Low oxygen levels can increase resistance in the pulmonary circulation and place additional strain on the right side of the heart. Over time, severe cases can contribute to pulmonary hypertension, abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, and right ventricular failure.

Persistent snoring accompanied by daytime fatigue or pauses in breathing followed by gasping or choking are among the signs that should prompt medical evaluation.

Chronic lung diseases present additional diagnostic challenges.

Brown specializes in interstitial lung disease, or ILD, a group of disorders affecting the tissue and structure of the lungs. Many forms can cause progressive fibrosis, or scarring, that reduces lung function over time.

Once lung function has been lost because of fibrosis, current therapies may slow further decline but generally cannot restore the lung function already lost. Early diagnosis can therefore give physicians more opportunity to intervene before a disease becomes advanced.

Treating complex lung disease can also require collaboration among multiple specialties. The center has developed a framework that includes pulmonary function testing, pulmonary hypertension care, pulmonary rehabilitation, interventional pulmonary services and a network for transplantation.

“We really believe that the community in the Rio Grande Valley deserve world-class healthcare without needing to leave this city to a bigger place,” Brown said.

Brown also emphasized lifestyle factors when discussing long-term respiratory and sleep health. Nutrition, physical activity and weight management can influence conditions associated with sleep and cardiovascular health. He said those changes often extend beyond an individual patient because family routines can influence eating habits and other health behaviors.

For Brown, the broader message is to recognize changes rather than assume persistent symptoms are normal. Unexplained coughing, shortness of breath, excessive daytime fatigue and consistently unrefreshing sleep can indicate that further evaluation is appropriate.

The center’s focus extends beyond treating individual conditions to improving long-term health for people across the region.

“Our main goal is, we want our community to breathe better, to be healthier, to enjoy their lives, to live longer, to have a better quality of life,” Brown said.

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