Question: I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Why does my doctor tell me to lose weight?
Answer: Sleep apnea, a serious breathing disorder that can affect other aspects of your health, is more likely to occur in people who are overweight. Men, and people with a family history of the condition, also are more likely to develop the condition.
Most treatment regimens begin with lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and quitting smoking.
Typically, sleep apnea is caused by relaxation of the soft tissue in the back of your throat that blocks the passage of air. Fat deposits around your upper airway also may be a factor. As a result, your level of blood oxygen drops. The brain senses this decrease and briefly rouses you from sleep, causing you to gasp or choke so that you can reopen your airway. This can happen 20 or 30 times an hour, and each episode can last up to 20 seconds. Upon awakening, you may have a dry throat or headache, and feel sleepy and fatigued during the day.
Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase the chance of having high blood pressure and even a heart attack or stroke. It can also increase the risk of diabetes.
Even a small weight loss has been shown to decrease sleep apnea episodes. Choosing foods wisely also helps lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, which occur more often with this diagnosis.
To get you started:
# Reduce your portions by half to cut down on calories.
# Choose healthy snacks, like fresh fruit, once or twice a day.
# Include high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, salads and oatmeal. Cut back on fried foods, and those high in saturated and trans fat.
# Watch your salt intake by not adding salt to foods, and choosing fresh foods and those low in salt.
# Limit eating out to once or twice a week.
# Be more active. Walk 30 minutes a day, four times a week.
# Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Although a drink may help some people fall asleep, it interrupts deep sleep cycles and worsens the quality of sleep.
Source: Democrat & Chronicle
