Can Obesity Cause Sleep Apnea?

Introduction

Obesity is a significant risk factor for a variety of health issues, and one of the most concerning is its association with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, which can lead to serious complications if untreated.

The link between obesity and sleep apnea is well-established, as excess body weight can contribute to airway obstruction and compromise respiratory function.

In This Article, We explore the connection between obesity and sleep apnea, emphasizing the need for awareness and early intervention to mitigate the health risks posed by this relationship.

How is gaining weight caused by sleep apnea?

To begin with, sleep deprivation can make you feel more hungry for longer periods and lead to overeating, particularly when it comes to items high in calories and carbohydrates. Weight gain may result from that.

Fatigue is another issue brought on by inadequate sleep. You most likely won’t have as much energy to walk around and exercise if you don’t get enough sleep. You may not be able to exercise as much as you would want if you have limited mobility.

Everyone is impacted by sleep deprivation, but adolescents’ propensity to acquire weight can be more affected. To promote the brain’s growth and development during adolescence, young adults require a lot of high-quality sleep.

The development of the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that controls hunger and energy expenditure, can be negatively impacted by sleep deprivation.

A study done in 2018 on obese teenagers revealed that the faster individuals gained weight, the greater the probability they proved to have severe obstructive sleep apnea and have more extreme time and level of sleep (per the site’s specifications).

Sleep and hormone balance

Sleep-related variations in hormone levels, particularly those of leptin and ghrelin, can also cause dysregulation of your appetite.

This hormone is a protein that informs you whether they’ve eaten enough. Leptin is already present in high concentrations in obese people. It has been discovered that individuals with sleep apnea may also have up to 50% more of this hormone than people without the condition.

That’s problematic because your body may develop a resistance to leptin if it produces too much of it for an extended time, making it difficult to feel full after eating.

At the same time, obesity or sleep deprivation may cause your ghrelin levels to rise. In addition to making you feel hungry, this hormone causes you to consume too many calories.

When you never feel full after eating and occasionally feel extremely starving, you may overeat and accumulate the excess calories as fat.

Statistics and studies on reducing weight and breathing problems

While it affects people of all ages and demographics, your risk of developing sleep apnea. The following nations have the greatest number of injured people:

• China
• United States
• Brazil
• India

According to a 2008 study on the connection between weight increase and sleep apnea, people who are overweight or obese had a fifty-eight percent chance of having moderate to severe sleep apnea.

In a 2017 investigation according to a reliable source, the degree of sleep-disordered breathing was directly correlated with changes in body weight; the less overweight people experienced, the lower their When never feel full after eating and occasionally extremely starving, you may overeat and accumulate excess calories as fat.

However, one of the best ways to treat sleep apnea is to lose weight if you are overweight or obese.

Obesity and apnea can both increase your risk. Reliable Source for many severe ailments, such as:

• stroke
• cardiovascular disease
• hypertension
• diabetes

Losing weight may also be aided by treating sleep apnea. A balanced diet, increased exercise, and certain medications are examples of lifestyle modifications that can help.

You can sleep longer and more effectively if you treat your apnea. Sleep is vital for both weight reduction and management.

Based on some research, people who often get fewer than 7 hours of sleep see increases in their metabolism and lose more weight when they can get more than 7 hours of sleep.

People who get less than six hours of sleep additionally, they might be more likely to overeat right before bed, which would raise their total caloric intake and cause them to gain weight. Losing weight may also be aided by treating sleep apnea. A balanced diet, increased exercise, and certain medications are examples of lifestyle modifications that can help.

What is the quantity of weight loss essential to treat sleep apnea?

Individuals who are classified as overweight or obese who suffer from sleep apnea should reduce their body weight by only as much as 5–10%, according to the American Thoracic Society.

Consider the most beneficial way to begin managing your weight with your healthcare team. This can help manage your symptoms and enhance your general health, even though it might not completely cure your sleep apnea.

Keeping a healthy weight when suffering from sleep apnea

An appropriate weight can be attained or maintained in some ways. In addition to the therapies for your sleep apnea, your doctor might suggest the following lifestyle modifications:

• Making the switch to a nutrient-dense, lower-calorie diet
• Regularly eating throughout the day
• Regularly working out
• Giving up smoking or cutting back on your smoking
• lowering or doing away with alcohol use
• Occasionally, taking prescription drugs

How Obstructed Sleep Apnea Is Caused by Excessive Weight

Pulmonary leakage during sleep is an especially frequent manifestation of obstructive sleeping apnea. When a person goes to sleep, the tissues that support an open airway naturally relax. Most individuals’s breathing is unaffected by relaxed muscle tissue, but in obese people or those with additional OSA risk factors, it can further narrow an already constricted airway.

Obstructive sleep apnea is more inclined to develop in people with higher body mass indices. While people with severe airway constriction experience times when their breathing is halted or restricted, those with minor restrictions may snore at night. The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include frequent nighttime awakenings and variations in blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, which raise the risk of other health issues.

Sleep Apnea and Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome

A respiratory condition that can afflict persons with an obesity diagnosis is obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), which is more common in those with a BMI above 50. Although the exact origin of OHS is unknown, evidence indicates that obesity may contribute to the development of OHS by putting undue strain on the respiratory system.

Obstructive sleep apnea is present in about 90% of patients with obese hypoventilation syndrome. Because of this, symptoms including as loud roaring and exhaustion throughout the day generally accompany Tos and Hps.

Sleep Apnea and Obesity in Children

Obesity and larger tonsils put children at higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea, which affects 1% to 5% of kids. According to a big study, children who are obese may have a four to five times higher risk of developing OSA than children who are not obese.

Whereas BMI can also be used to measure obesity in children and adolescents, the results are not the same as those for adults. A child or adolescent’s BMI is typically compared to that of people of the same age and sex because body fat can fluctuate significantly during youth.

When talking about Respiratory Difficulties with the Information Medical

If you have breathing issues or suffer from sleep apnea symptoms, such as loud snoring, gasping for air, waking up exhausted and unrefreshed, or daytime sleepiness, speak with your doctor. To determine the cause of your breathing issues, a physician might assess your symptoms, conduct a physical examination, and suggest a sleep study.

If a family member, caregiver, or bed partner reports that you are snoring loudly, gasping for air while you sleep, or experiencing other breathing changes throughout the night, it’s particularly crucial to consult a doctor because you might not be aware of nocturnal breathing problems. To talk to your doctor about your symptoms, you might wish to bring your bed partner along.

Can sleep apnea get better with bariatric surgery?

Twelve to eighteen months after bariatric surgery, the majority of patients lose between fifty and eighty percent of their extra body weight. Losing weight causes the fatty tissue surrounding the upper airway to shrink, which might lessen the

sleep apnea-related upper airway collapse. Only by maintaining dietary adjustments and consistent exercise can weight loss be maintained. Within the first three months following bariatric surgery, patients usually see a notable reduction in their sleep apnea symptoms, including reduced snoring (whether or when not using a CPAP machine) and less daytime tiredness.

Patients find it challenging to sustain their weight loss because they are likely to acquire some weight again.

lead to sleep apnea. In over 75% of cases, bariatric surgery also aids in the resolution of associated medical issues. Additionally, patients have a 30% to 40% lower risk of developing sleep apnea. Obese patients who have bariatric surgery have more fatty tissue surrounding their upper airways, which might result in airway obstruction.

Obese people’s throats and other body muscles relax while they sleep, and the weight of the soft tissue around them partially or compresses the upper airways. Following the movement.

FAQs

References

• Causes and risk factors | NHLBI, NIH. (2022, March 24). NHLBI, NIH. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-apnea/causes#:~:text=What%20causes%20sleep%20apnea%3F,backward%20and%20block%20your%20airway.
• Ansorge, R. (2023b, May 30). Causes of sleep apnea. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/obstructive-sleep-apnea-causes
• Edwards, J. M. (2022, May 31). The complex relationship between sleep apnea and weight gain. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-apnea/sleep-apnea-weight-gain
• Edwards, M. (2022, November 3). Obesity & sleep apnea. SleepApnea.org. https://www.sleepapnea.org/sleep-health/obesity-and-sleep-apnea/?srsltid=AfmBOoo3CQ5Ty6NMimL48oHUQynvG7uHLBEumQHBbfnH0S7bMMlSxCiP