Weight and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
A recent article in Science Daily got me to thinking about my hubby's snoring issues which are obviously related to his weight. I blogged about it here:
News for the overweight sleep apnea patient
Like many men, he refuses to go to the doctor for his 'issues', so I don't know if his snoring problem is a symptom of apnea or anything worse, (but that's a whole other discussion!) I just know that, where he used to be able to lose a little weight and the snoring would disappear, he now loses some and..... nothing.
Do you think this is related to yo-yo-ing weight issues, his age, or possibly something else? Do other members of your sleep communities share this phenomenon??
News for the overweight sleep apnea patient
Like many men, he refuses to go to the doctor for his 'issues', so I don't know if his snoring problem is a symptom of apnea or anything worse, (but that's a whole other discussion!) I just know that, where he used to be able to lose a little weight and the snoring would disappear, he now loses some and..... nothing.
Do you think this is related to yo-yo-ing weight issues, his age, or possibly something else? Do other members of your sleep communities share this phenomenon??
Tags: apnea, diet, fitness, obstructive sleep apnea, osa, sleep, sleepiness, snoring, weight
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Amy K on -
I can tell you this Ellen, my husband has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, has the machine (cpap) and never uses it. He snores like you wouldn't believe. I do notice that the snoring is more intense and frequent with weight gain. In fact, he has even developed a sort of wheezing now...it really frightens me. I know that it must be quite difficult to get used to wearing the cpap, but I feel it would benefit him so much...
To address your question, it will be interesting to see if when he loses weight he will snore less and if it lasts!
I wish I had more to add here, but I do think it is disheartening and frustrating when the men in our lives refuse health care and refuse to follow the doctor's recommendations. ( I do realize that men are not the only ones guilty of that, but it does seem more prevalent among men)
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Permalink Reply by Tahoe on -
I have tons of people with apnea, includig myself. It is too easy for doctors to say "Oh, you are overweight, so that is why you snore". Yes, being overweight CAN be the cause, but several people I know are not overweight, again, including myself. I have lost 37 lbs in the kast 2 yrs, and I still snore like a trucker! Mine is caused by not having a big enough opening in my throat when I lay down. There is laser surgery and others that can help fix that.
Sleep apnea, can put such a strain on your body, especially if you are overweight. Not enough
oxygen will give you a headache in the morning, put stress on yor heart, put you at higher risk for a stroke. You did not say of your husband uses a CPAP machine. If you did I missed it.
LOL Brain fog! I guess my point is, make sure all causes of apnea are explored, and just don't take the "overweight" answer as golden. There can be many things going on at the same time, and in the mean time, your hubby's, or whoever's body, is under great stress
as long as this does not get treated. High blood pressure, too, is a "side effect" of apnea, or just plain not enough sleep.
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