The link between excess weight and sleep apnea is well established. People who are overweight are more likely to have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which can fall down over the airway and block the flow of air into the lungs while they sleep. Though losing weight is easier said than done, it can yield real results.
If overweight and obese people lose weight, it would make both sleep apnea and other health problems [such as heart disease] go away. In some cases, losing a significant amount of weight can even cure the condition. This is typically the first-line treatment for people with sleep apnea, because weight loss can be so hard to achieve. CPAP is a mask or device that fits over the nose and mouth. It blows air into the airways to keep them open at night. CPAP works well—but not everyone who needs it is willing to commit to wearing the clunky apparatus.
It takes some getting used to. The good news is, changes to the technology are making CPAP much easier to tolerate. When CPAP therapy was introduced, it was one-size-fits-all. A continuous positive airway pressure CPAP machine prevents sleep apnea by blowing air into a mask that covers the nose and mouth. The stream of air keeps the airways open. Another alternative to CPAP is an oral appliance. These plastic inserts fit into the mouth and prevent the tongue and tissues in the back of the throat from collapsing over the airway during sleep.
The only sure way to rid yourself of the condition for good is to either lose weight or have surgery to remove excess tissue from the palate or throat. Before you can decide on a treatment, you first need to identify that you even have sleep apnea. Important clues are nighttime snoring and daytime sleepiness. Your doctor can do a sleep study, checking your breathing while you sleep in a laboratory or are attached to a monitoring device at home. Instead, treatment requires individualization.
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No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Great post! One can never get too much information on how to maintain a healthy body.
I follow this program www. Now I know it may not be for everyone, but I think taking on board more information on why this helps can only help. Thanks again!
My son is 31 and was just diagnosed with sleep apnea by an eye doctor. I did smoke when I was pregnant. Which he said the reason he has it is because of my smoking. He is overweight. Is this all my fault? Babies born to smokers are usually underweight not overweight. It sounds like your son needs to take some responsibility for himself instead of blaming you. I agree with you. There are a lot of benefits of decreasing weight. If our weight is less, then we can easily run and work very quickly but the main problem is how to reduce our weight?
I have a better solution. If you take regular health prescription from any well-experienced physician or doctor then you can easily reduce your weight so, search any physician or good clinic. It is important to get a sufficient amount of sleep and rest after your workout sessions. A significant amount of muscle recovery and repair occurs while you are sleeping. Not getting an adequate amount of sleep can delay your results, and also be dangerous. Working out again without proper recuperation can cause injury or illness.
The challenge for anyone with sleep apnea is that the condition can make weight loss particularly difficult. Not only does it make the sufferer tired, reasonably causing a lack of motivation to exercise, but it has also been shown to affect eating habits.
This creates an unfortunate cycle in which a person feels tired, eats more, and continually gains weight, worsening their sleep apnea symptoms. So, in order to get out of this cycle, the first step for many patients is to not only start a diet and exercise program, but to also begin proper sleep apnea treatment so they have the energy and will to maintain new, healthy habits.
The good news is that consistent treatment can drastically reduce symptoms, helping patients sleep better and have more fulfilled lives. Our practice doctor, Dr. Jeff Rodgers has helped countless patients improve their sleep and their health with oral appliance therapy. It all starts with a complimentary consultation, which you can quickly schedule by clicking here.
If you have any medical questions, please consult your doctor. It could also help reduce the CPAP air pressure required to treat their apneas. Dieting and exercising are not cures for the same reasons as above. However, it may help improve your OSA symptoms. Regardless, it is still a good idea to avoid alcohol at night to improve your overall sleep quality.
The same goes for elevating your head with pillows.
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