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Nearly 70% of adult patients suffering from sleep apnea are overweight or obese. It’s well known that weight gain can cause sleep apnea by creating tension around the throat and palate. However, some world class athletes suffer from the disease and not everyone with the disease is overweight. Could it be that sleep apnea is responsible for the weight gain seen in many of its victims? The answer seems to be yes.
Thousands of studies have linked a lack of rest to a myriad of health problems. In particular, less sleep can wreak havoc on your hormone levels. By disrupting hormone signals that your body depends upon to function properly, sleep apnea can cause unhealthy changes in your perceived hunger and can even change the way your body processes energy.
As hormones such as Ghrelin and Leptin become off balance due to sleep apnea, you may feel less full more often, despite eating the same amount as usual. This can lead to excess food consumption and weight gain.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA can also cause an insulin imbalance, increasing your risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. Needless to say, this can mean real danger for your health if left unchecked and untreated.
To make matters worse, sleep apnea can prevent you from being as active as you would like. Day time fatigue and minor breathing disorders due to the disease can make even the simplest physical activities feel like torture.
Don’t let sleep apnea weigh you down. Contact our office to learn more about solutions and reclaim your healthy sleep.
