Sometimes, we may not have any idea how we gained weight but the thing is, sleep apnea can affect our body in various ways and it might potentially cause changes to our body too, so let me tell you about it.
Can sleep apnea cause you to gain weight? Yes, sleep apnea can cause you to gain weight since having sleep apnea may lead to sleep deprivation and lack of sleep slows down the body’s metabolism.
A slowed down metabolism means your body can’t burn fat as it normally should causing you to have an uncontrolled weight gain.
The reason why sleep apnea slows down metabolism is that it causes difficulty in breathing and even stops heartbeats for brief seconds while asleep.
When the body experiences “abnormalities” from a sleep apnea attack, the muscles will not be able to relax and use energy to keep us breathing,
Since the body cannot rest well, it most likely won’t have energy spared for losing weight. The lack of energy will also cause you to unconsciously eat more.
During sleep apnea attacks, we may also wake up for a few seconds without knowing it to gasp for air. These tiny seconds already exhausts our body and takes away sleeping time resulting in sleep deprivation.
It has been observed in various studies that lack of sleep can cause uncontrollable weight loss or weight gain and having sleep apnea can worsen that.
When we don’t sleep enough, our body produces more hormones called “Ghrelin” and it makes us want to eat more than the usual diet we follow.
Another hormone is the “Leptin” that makes us stop eating and we don’t get enough leptin hormones when we are sleep deprived.
The last hormone that contributes to weight gain when we have sleep apnea is insulin. Somehow, the lack of sleep is giving similar conditions to becoming diabetic.
Insulin’s job is to make glucose enter our cells and when we are sleep deprived, the body stops the insulin’s activities and on top of it, insulin increases leptin which means the body will want to eat more!
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes sleep deprivation which will mess up our hormones that also control the body’s control over weight.
An opposite perspective on the other hand, suggests that obesity can also cause sleep apnea which means it can be the other way around. By losing weight, you can cure your sleep apnea.
It is definitely interesting to learn how our body works and to finally understand the reason behind our uncontrolled weight changes. Now, the next step is avoiding it or getting rid of it via treatments.
How to cure sleep apnea and avoid weight gain
The first step to avoiding gaining weight is by trying to maintain a healthy and balanced diet as much as possible. Also, the better you sleep, the better control you’ll have over your weight.
Unfortunately, sleep apnea will make sleeping difficult which will make controlling weight harder. So, the first step is getting rid of sleep apnea itself. Check out this list of known treatments that can cure sleep apnea.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Over time, parents can adjust the brace using a special key to increase the amount of pressure for the teeth.
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- It might take months to recover.
- CPAP Machine Treatment
- Works for any age. Stands for “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device”
- The person diagnosed will have to use a mask connected to a machine that will force air to the obstructed airway from the oropharyngeal.
- The mask placed over the mouth or nose will blow air into the airway to help keep it open during sleep. Highly recommended and proven effective by a majority of sleep apnea patient.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the 2nd example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
Even though children may not be worried about their weight yet, letting the sleep apnea develop and be carried into adulthood will definitely expose them to risk of obesity that leads to other health problems.
As early as possible, fix the problem. Additionally, try to do regular exercises that will help you stay in shape despite having sleep apnea or while still treating sleep apnea.
When sleep apnea and weight gain is untreated
The terrible outcome of untreated sleep apnea that causes weight gain is turning the person diabetic and potentially become diagnosed with obesity which also raises a lot of health risks.
It is not only about our physical appearances, body weight plays a vital role in controlling our bodies so it is important to be aware of the risks and understand what can happen if sleep apnea and weight gain are ignored.
- Heart failure
- May lead to fatal conditions such as brain damages or even death
- Heart attack
- Can also be severely threatening
- Irregular heartbeat
- Worsens the ability to breathe
- Can trigger anxiety
- Stroke
- Can leave permanent damage
- May lead to paralysis
- Depression
- Not an easy condition to treat
- Diabetes
- Leaves you prone to more heart attacks
- High Blood Pressure
- Aside from your physical health, this can also affect your mental health and relationship with people around you including your work
- Increases ADHD
- Sleep apnea reduces your ability to focus which is what happens when you have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Having a lack of control to focus can lead to frustration
- Headaches
- You may wake up with a bad headache which will lead to other problems listed here
- Lack of daily energy
- As mentioned, your energy will be reduced since you are unable to sleep well.
- Seizures
- Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
The thing is, sleep apnea, if left untreated or worsened by other factors, can lead to death. Its risks can be fatal and leave permanent damage or uncontrolled weight gain which is what we are trying to avoid.
If diagnosed with sleep apnea, one must consider treating the problem as soon as possible in order to prevent any unwanted scenarios related to your health.
What are the signs of sleep apnea that can cause weight gain
One of the most common ways to identify sleep apnea is by conducting a “sleep study” wherein the patient will have to stay in a center where doctors and nurses would be observing their sleeping habits.
Not only the sleeping behavior, but other factors that could be a sign of sleep apnea as well. Here’s a list of sleep apnea signs to watch out for if you are not ready to go for a sleep study yet.
- Heavy snoring
- Maybe, it can be a sign of fatigue but snoring loudly and usually can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Gasping for air during sleep
- The feeling of drowning without knowing it and suddenly you’re out of air.
- Insomnia
- Having trouble going to sleep because you have breathing problems that you may not notice
- Hypersomnia
- Having trouble staying awake in the morning because you were unable to sleep well due to your sleep apnea
- Waking up with a headache
- Sleep apnea can disturb your body’s “charging” state. Since you can’t sleep well, your body will use energy for means that can help you breathe which may lead to headaches.
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- With sleep apnea, the person tends to snore and keep their mouth open when gasping for air which leads to a dried up mouth once we awaken.
- Decreased ability to focus
- Sleep apnea can give lack of sleep which will also result in difficulty to focus on anything
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Your lack of energy due to sleep apnea can make you feel uncomfortable and irritable without your knowledge
- Suddenly stop breathing during sleep
- Your housemates should notice this and tell you about it. Sleep apnea can disrupt breathing that may last for up to 10 seconds which is already risky.
There are three types of sleep apnea that you may be diagnosed with.
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- The most common sleep apnea that can be present in all ages. When the breathing is obstructed due to various factors, is it because of obstructive sleep apnea which may require surgery
- Central sleep apnea
- When your brain fails to send the proper signals to your body to command it to “breathe”, it is because of central sleep apnea
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome
- This is the combination of the first two sleep apneas and also poses higher risks than a normal obstructed sleep apnea.
- It may also be more difficult to treat this not knowing the major cause of the condition
What other factors can make sleep apnea worsen weight gain
There are plenty of factors that can make sleep apnea worse and thus, worsen uncontrolled weight gain. This list will give you an idea on what potentially causes your sleep apnea and weight gain that can help you avoid it.
- Obesity
- Can make breathing difficult even while asleep or not moving
- Hypothyroidism
- The condition wherein your body does not produce enough thyroid hormones, which is needed to control how to use energy received from food through metabolism. Bad metabolism can affect heartbeat and breathing.
- Acromegaly
- Opposite of hypothyroidism, acromegaly produces too much growth hormones which can affect your overall health including breathing.
- Allergies
- There are certain allergies that can worsen sleep apnea. Allergies that result with difficulty in breathing are the likes.
- Smoking cigarettes
- Excessive smoking can cause sleep apnea or worsen it
- Drinking liquor
- Too much liquor and drinking before going to sleep can cause sleep apnea.
- Drug usage
- Sedations or other types of drugs especially when being abused can result in sleep apnea or worse.
- Being male
- Observations reveal that males tend to have sleep apnea more than females
- Being old
- Observations also revealed that older adults are more prone to sleep apnea than younger ones due to more complicated health issues that may trigger sleep apnea
Other natural causes of sleep apnea can be a thick neck, narrow throat and having a round head. Avoid triggering your allergies or get medications for other conditions to cure your sleep apnea.
Related Questions
- Is sleep apnea caused by being overweight?
Yes, as mentioned in the first part of the post, sleep apnea can also be caused by overweight or obesity. Soft tissues of the mouth and the throat may be affected by our weight and make breathing difficult.
Being unable to breathe as we normally should can cause sleep apnea.
- Is sleep apnea reversible with weight loss?
Yes, if your sleep apnea is caused by being overweight, then losing weight can help you get rid of sleep apnea and at the same time, getting back to your normal weight.
