People rarely understand the link between obstructive sleep apnea in Coral Springs and body weight. There is, however, a definitive connection between being overweight and the severity of a person’s sleep apnea symptoms.
How Do Sleep Apnea and Your Weight Affect One Another?
Weight Gain and Obesity Can Worsen Sleep Apnea Symptoms
In the case of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), it’s caused by blockages in the upper airways of your body. Anatomical features like tonsils and pharyngeal fat could block airflow and compels the body to force air through the obstruction. This physical barrier is what causes the wheezing or snoring sound. Being overweight worsens the symptoms of OSA. Obese people tend to accumulate fat around the belly and around the neck. Aside from blocking the upper airway, belly fat pushes against your chest wall and reduces the amount of air you can inhale. This also leads to the classic symptom of sleep apnea – the failure to inhale after the last exhalation. If you have not suffered from apnea before, gaining too much weight may raise your risk of developing the condition.
Sleep Apnea and Weight Gain Make a Vicious Cycle
If you have sleep apnea in Coral Springs, you may find maintaining sound and uninterrupted sleep difficult. As a result, you’ll have diminished energy levels that might make it hard to go about your day. Patients with sleep apnea generally find it challenging to accomplish tasks because of daytime sleepiness, which pushes them to a sedentary lifestyle. Now here comes the vicious cycle – you may find it hard to exercise and burn extra fat because of insufficient rest. Furthermore, you’ll find yourself eating more and gaining more weight. The more weight you gain, the worse your sleep apnea becomes.
Losing Weight is Vital to Treating Sleep Apnea
Doctors often treat sleep apnea through continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP devices. These devices deliver pressurized air to your airways during sleep. The pressure ensures that your respiratory tract remains open throughout the night, avoiding sleep apnea symptoms. However, experts suggest pairing CPAP therapy with weight loss regimens could improve your sleep apnea symptoms. Researchers in Sweden, for instance, launched a study in which 60 men with obesity participated. The study restricted the participants’ diet to only 500 calories for nine weeks. The volunteers lost 40 pounds and reported improvements in their sleep apnea symptoms. Of course, it’s best to consult with your dietitian and family doctor before undergoing any form of dieting. Everyone’s body works differently and following a friend's system or an article you found online may not give you the best results.
Do You Need Help with Your Sleep Apnea in Coral Springs?
Do you want to know more about sleep apnea and how you can address the condition? Call us now and schedule a meeting. We’ll help you understand sleep apnea more and how you can ease your symptoms.
