Apnea and Dieting: Why You Can't Lose Weight

by Pam McKee

Tackling weight loss is tough enough and almost impossible
if you feel tired all the time. For patients with sleep
apnea, there is a relationship between losing shut-eye and
gaining extra pounds.

Yes, sleep is necessary for not only mental focus and
physical stamina but is essential to regulate your weight!

You might have a hidden sleep disorder that is wreaking
havoc on your hormones " and leading to more weight gain!

Sleep apnea is a growing health concern. Doctors believe
that up to 80 million Americans have sleep apnea and don't
even know it.

First tackle the sleep problems. Then good sleep will start
working for you in your battle to lose weight, instead of
against you. Your efforts to lose weight will become much
easier if you solve the sleeping problem first.

There are many risks associated with untreated sleep apnea,
including stroke and heart disease. Ignoring treatment is
also a known cause of weight gain.

Heres some science behind the connection between apnea and
weight gain:

1. When your body feels tired it automatically craves fuel
in the form of sugar, carbohydrates and other foods with a
high glycemic index. In a study published by the Journal of
Clinical Sleep Medicine, people with the most severe cases
of sleep disorders also had the highest intake of calories,
protein, cholesterol and saturated fat.

2. In a report from the Quebec Family Study, people who
regularly only get five to six hours of sleep per night are
35% more likely to gain up to 11-pounds of fat over six
years compared to a person who sleeps between seven to eight
hours per night.

3. It turns out that the best appetite suppressant is a good
night's sleep. Poor quality sleep causes levels of the
hormone ghrelin to severely increase in your
gastrointestinal tract. This hormone is in charge of making
you feel hungry. You increase your levels of ghrelin every
time you get a bad night's sleep.

Pam McKee is Head of Clinical Support at MySleepMask.com, a
ResMed Preferred Internet Provider of
(http://www.mysleepmask.com) CPAP supplies and equipment.
She has designed a
(http://www.mysleepmask.com/new_to_cpap.php) sleep apnea
handbook for new apnea patients, that you can download for
free at MySleepMask.com.