Sleep apnea is a disorder in which the airway is obstructed while the person is sleeping. It causes loud snoring in its most benign form to a complete termination of breathing, cardiac arrhythmias and low blood oxygen levels at its worst.
Sleep apnea is fatal and it is a growing problem in the U.S. that is related to obesity.
Repeated occurrence of sleep apnea or absence of breathing causes frequent nighttime awakening which results in broken, choppy, non restorative sleep. Most of the time, sleep apnea is first noticed by the patient’s partner, or the one who gets disturbed loud snoring or sleep apnea episodes.
Studies revealed that obstructive sleep apnea weight is much more common among overweight or obese people. Yes, obesity is an epidemic that endangers the lives of people and it is also related with a person’s experience of sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea and Weight
Some of the reasons why obesity is one of the risk factors for sleep apnea and weight are listed below:
- The airway of obese people gets obstructed by large tonsils, enlarged tongue and increased fat in the neck.
- These obstructions press on the airway once the throat muscles get relaxed while a person is asleep resulting in obstructed breathing.
- Obese men with a neck circumference of 17 inches and above and women with a neck circumference of 16 inches or more are most likely to experience sleep apnea. The neck circumference of a person is a reliable forecaster of sleep apnea.
Another problem that obese persons should be concerned of is the effect of sleep apnea. As obesity and sleep apnea results, the latter also becomes the reason why a person who is deprived of sleep to eat more creating a vicious cycle.
To conclude, sleep apnea and weight obesity go hand in hand and can cause serious physical, emotional, and health problems. These two can cause greater weight gain, worsened blood pressure, glucose intolerance, and worsened apnea and the cycle goes on and on unless you will be able to use sleep apnea mouth piece and control obesity. Treatments are available to relieve sleep apnea problems and with regards to obesity, lifestyle modification and healthy eating habits need to be followed strictly. Does sleep apnea go away with weight loss? Snoring will lessen if you live a healthier lifestyle.
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