« When Should I Start Having My Baby Sleep In Her Crib? | Home | How Do You Deal With Stress And Anxiety? »
Sleep Apnea and Weight Problems
By administrator | July 5, 2009
Sleep apnea is a serious condition where there are pauses in breathing during sleep. These are defined by medical terminology when an individual literally stops breathing. Sleep apnea treatments are especially important for patients with a weight issue, as this is a serious disorder.
Obstructive sleep apnea is one type of apnea that is a common problem among the morbidly obese and often in the elderly. An oxygen mask may be required so they can breathe. In the people who are excessively overweight, this is often due to their weight bearing down on their chest and crushing their rib cage and lungs.
According to medical reports the population at risk are obese middle-aged males since physiology doesn’t make women potential sufferers of sleep apnea. People who fall asleep with sleep apnea go through brief periods where others think they’re not going to wake up. This is very serious because if it’s not properly diagnosed it can be life threatening. People with excessive weight constantly have to deal with frequent episodes of paused breathing. Snoring is a common problem with people who are overweight and constant gasping for air is another problem while sleeping. Obstructive Sleep Apnea can be dangerous to the heart because of the deprivation of oxygen that keeps the circulation flowing efficiently.
Other symptoms may include:
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Moodiness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Noctoria (getting up in the middle of the night to urinate)
- Increased urination
- Decreased sexual drive
- Increased heart rate
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Esophageal reflux (acid reflux disease)
- Profuse heavy sweating at night.
Down’s Syndrome patients are likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea since 50% of the population with this genetic condition suffer with an enlarged head, adenoids, tonsils, tongue, and narrowing of the nasopharnyx.
Pharyngeal flap surgery has also been noted to cause sleep apnea in patients because of the obstruction in the breathing pattern after surgery which if not monitored can be life threatening. There are different treatments for people with sleep apnea and doctors and ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialists take the following into consideration for designing a treatment plan for those who are diagnosed with this condition.
There are some factors to be considered and they are an individual’s medical history, severity of the disorder, and the specific cause for the obstruction. Some treatments also incorporate a lifestyle change, such as avoiding medications and alcohol that can relax the nervous system.
Other lifestyle changes can be made, such as quitting smoking and losing weight. Other considerations include elevating the individual for sleeping so that breathing is easier.
If someone is overweight and suffering from sleep apnea then a weight reduction plan should be implemented along with suitable sleep programs. Usually they will find within a short period of time of losing weight their condition will improve. Maintaining the weight loss to improve sleep and breathing patterns comes with monitoring the food consumption and the exercise program.
Topics: Sleep/snoring | No Comments »