As rotating shift workers, new parents, and insomniacs painstakingly learn, the human body’s performance is dependent on a precise rhythm. During sleep, the body rebuilds muscle fibers while increasing metabolism. Slumber also improves concentration, attitude, injury recovery, stress management, and coordination. For those who aren’t kept from the opportunity to sleep soundly every night by unfavorable circumstances, sleep gives the body and mind a soothing sanctuary. When conditions like sleep apnea, however, threaten even those who have the time, serious consequences can result.
Sleep apnea sufferers usually snore in their sleep. Oftentimes, breathing may completely cease for five seconds to half a minute. This is caused by one of two things: an airway obstruction or a problem with the respiratory system. When something obstructs the airway, known as obstructive sleep apnea, cessations can occur intermittently for the entire night. Potential obstructions include swollen or excessive tissue in the throat, a large tongue, or a harshly angular jaw line. The less common kind of sleep apnea, known as central sleep apnea, is most often caused by a problem in the brain’s respiratory center. For whatever reason, compromised nerve communication leads to improper amounts of carbon dioxide in the blood and the same breathing cessations.
Besides snoring and related breathing difficulties, most other sleep apnea symptoms are indirect manifestations of sleep deprivation. Common symptoms include blurry vision, dulled focus, diminished reaction time, compromised judgment, and poor mood. While these symptoms are all recognized by the medical community, a slightly more controversial symptom remains contested: weight gain.
Does Sleep Apnea Cause Weight Gain?
To clarify, obesity and weight gain have already been verified as potential causes of sleep apnea. This is because excessive fat in the throat can obstruct the airway. Can it work the other way around? Pathologists and other medical scientists are beginning to believe it can for two major reasons. First, when a person recovers from an apnea, adrenaline production spikes. The sympathetic nervous system, which supports the “fight or flight” response people experience in life threatening situations, temporarily increases blood sugar levels by rapidly consuming carbohydrates. As a result, the body produces more insulin, converting the sugar to residual fat.
Sleep apnea also promotes weight gain by creating hormone imbalances. Serotonin, which regulates sleep, appetite, and mood, is not produced adequately in someone with sleep apnea. Other hormones that support sleep, like ghrelin, are also lacking in sleep apnea patients. As a result, the fatigued victim struggles to endure daily rigors, making unhealthy food choices to save time and hassle.
Will Losing Weight Cure Sleep Apnea?
The current understanding is that weight gain and sleep apnea are correlated both causally and reciprocally; each one is likely to bring about the other. Additionally, the above mentioned findings suggest that by curing sleep apnea, one may very well lose weight. Does it work the other way? Will losing weight be enough to completely eradicate all symptoms?
In the instances of individuals who have obstructed sleep apnea because of excess fat around the neck and face, weight loss is a cure. While neck fat may not be the first to go, it isn’t the most stubborn fat to lose. For people who have respiratory irregularities, the situation is more complicated. If the irregularity is caused by a neurological problem, losing weight is not likely to constitute a real cure. If the respiratory problems are caused by obesity and lack of exercise, however, losing weight could very well assist. The heart, brain, and bones will be better able to regulate levels of carbon dioxide in the blood once a person has increased their lung capacity and strengthened their heart.
Supplemental Treatment
More than 80 percent of all sleep apnea sufferers have obstructive sleep apnea. This means that weight loss is a feasible, affordable, and highly beneficial solution for most of this demographic. To augment the recovery process, both types of sleep apnea sufferers can utilize a CPAP machine. A continuous positive airway pressure machine uses a steady stream of pressurized air to keep the airway open all night. The user simply puts on a synthetic mask, often resembling the oxygen masks that hospital workers use, that is attached to a bedside module. With no pharmacological contributions, this treatment option is a much safer alternative to surgery.
Whether weight gain and sleep apnea are correlated or not, although the evidence strongly suggests that they are, maintaining a healthy weight is always worth prioritizing. In addition to possibly preventing or curing sleep apnea, exercise improves energy, blood pressure, balance, strength, flexibility, confidence, and overall longevity. When the successful stifling of snoring is added to this list, sleep apnea sufferers have no choice but to strap on the cross trainers or suffer the wrath of a sleepless spouse.
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