Sleep Apnea Weight Gain | Sleep Apnea Symptoms

A Look At Sleep Apnea Weight Gain And Reversing The Cycle

Did you ever think about the role your weight can play on the quality and amount of sleep you get? As a child I remember not being bothered by sleeping on a hard surface, such as during a camping trip, but no longer feel comfortable enough to sleep in such settings, but this isn’t the kind of thing I’m talking about. I am talking about how you breathe during your sleep.

Of course we all know people who snore and some who snore loudly and constantly. Did you know that it is more common for overweight people to snore? This is because the structures in the neck and throat are thicker and it is easier for them to become obstructed by the tongue while breathing during sleep. This causes snoring.

Another, more serious condition comes for the same reasons. Instead of only becoming partially blocked, as it does during snoring, the airway becomes completely blocked for a brief period of time and one or more breaths are skipped. When this happens at least five times in an hour on a continuing basis it is known as sleep apnea.

For this reason, sleep apnea is a problem that can be associated with obesity. To treat sleep apnea weight loss is highly recommended, as it makes it easier to keep the airways clear during night time breathing and prevent blockage. As far as lifestyle changes that help to treat sleep apnea, weight loss is high on the list, along with not using alcohol, cigarettes and muscle relaxants.

Unfortunately is appears that sleep apnea weight gain might be a problem, which makes matters worse. Apparently some of the appetite suppressing hormones are decreased when a person is sleep deprived, as those with sleep apnea are. Studies show that people, especially women, with sleep apnea are more likely to make poor food choices.

This can be the beginning of a terrible cycle. You are overweight (or not) and you suffer from sleep apnea, so you do not get enough sleep and are sleep deprived. Your appetite increases and you gain even more weight, worsening your sleep disordered breathing, which makes you more sleep deprived and the cycle continues.

If you have sleep apnea weight gain that is difficult to control on your own, it is a good idea to see your doctor about what you can do to keep your weight down. Of course this will help with many health issues and especially should help your sleep apnea. On the other hand, treating your sleep apnea should help to get your sleep back in order and improve other conditions that will help you to be able to lose weight, and the cycle can be reversed.

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