Sleep Apnea and Weight Gain

Sleep apnea is an unenviable disorder in which a person frequently stops breathing during REM (Rapid Eye Movement/Deep) sleep. To prevent a person from suffocating, the brain takes emergency measures and wakes a person from REM, which in turn starts a person breathing again.

The inevitable result is a person with sleep apnea seldom gets enough deep sleep to satisfy their bodies, and can wake up feeling headachy from a lack of oxygen, lethargic, tired, irritable, depressed and more. Sleep apnea is a progressive disorder which unless treated, the symptoms and consequences for the sufferer will become more severe.

Over time not only will a person deteriorate mentally and emotionally, but the consequences upon the body can become extremely severe. Coronary disorders, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and strokes are but a few of the effects. Another health issue is weight gain, and in this article we are going to examine the link between sleep apnea and weight gain.

When a person sleeps, their body is recharging, repairing and rejuvenating. Without any sleep at all, a person will die within days. With very little sleep, a person will deteriorate over time and develop other life threatening disorders. One such effect of not sleeping is the slowdown of the body's metabolism. Metabolism is the process in which food is turn into the nutrients and energy which our body needs to function. If our metabolisms become slower and less efficient, our bodies get less of the vital nutrients they need.

As a result of a slowing metabolism, a person can begin to gain weight rather quickly as less food is turned into energy and more food is stored as fat. Because less food is turned into energy, a person thus becomes less energetic, and less able to burn off the accumulating fat through physical exercise.

In addition to been a prime cause in heart and coronary dysfunction, obesity can also inhibit breathing particularly during sleep, making Obstructive Sleep Apnea even worse. What a person now may have is a vicious cycle by which sleep apnea causes obesity, whilst obesity increases the severity of the sleep apnea symptoms. This can become a very dangerous situation to be in, and your health can be put at much risk from becoming obese. If you suffer from, or think you may suffer from sleep apnea, you should contact your G.P. whom will be able to help treat and advise you in treating yourself.

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