One of the most harmful eczema symptoms isn’t visible in the clinic — it’s the sleep patients lose from itching, pain, and bleeding at night.

About 43% of people with eczema have sleep problems, according to a recent study review in Archives of Dermatological Research .

“If I had only one question to ask, that’s the one I would choose — how’s the sleep?” said Peter Lio , MD, clinical assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago.

Here’s why assessing sleep is crucial in eczema — and how to help patients rest better at night.

Why Sleep Should Be a Standard Part of Eczema Care

“People feel very alone in this, but almost everybody reports their itch is worse at night,” said Lio.

Preliminary research suggests that

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