Millions of adults are being diagnosed with sleep apnea. The rising rates of obesity and overweight have been one of the core causes of sleep apnea, making the connection between weight loss and sleep apnea increasingly important.
Sleep Apnea can stop your breathing for seconds or even minutes because the soft tissues surrounding your airways collapse and block your breathing. It may make your sleep worse and predispose you to developing severe health issues such as a heart attack and stroke.
Now, weight loss is frequently being discussed in relation to sleep health, but the answers are not necessarily clear and realistic. Many individuals are told that weight loss is the only solution to apnea, but others are frustrated by the occurrence of the symptoms despite their weight loss efforts.
The Relation between Weight Loss and Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea occurs when the airways become so narrow or unsteady while you are asleep. This relaxation of the muscles causes the airflow reduction or blockage, leading to a short pause in your breathing. Such pauses may occur dozens of times per hour without the person fully waking up.
The growing research has shown that an increase in weight by 10% may increase the chance of a person getting obstructive sleep apnea by approximately six times.
Lowering fat deposits and inflammation, especially around your airway and neck, can help decrease the airway blockage and enhance oxygenation. Even by losing 5-10 % of your body mass, that is good enough to reduce sleep apnea when you are overweight or obese.
Can Losing Weight Improve Sleep Apnea?
Yes, it has been shown in many studies that losing weight can decrease the severity of sleep apnea. Your snoring becomes less frequent, and breathing pauses may become shorter or less frequent. This results in the general improvement of your daytime energy. Weight management plays a key role, and the relationship between weight loss and sleep apnea is well documented.
However, losing weight doesn’t guarantee that sleep apnea will disappear. At Kairos, we have observed that some patients experience a meaningful improvement with a small amount of weight loss, whereas other patients lose a lot of weight but still have sleep apnea. This makes it clear that sleep apnea is strongly dependent on anatomy, muscle tone, nerve signaling, and genetics, and not body size.
Do you know that a fat tongue can also make your sleep apnea symptoms worse? Because the thicker tongue will tend to block your airways during sleep. Individuals with obesity tend to have a fat tongue, and losing weight in this area may also result in the improvement of symptoms.
How Much Weight Do You Need to Lose to Avoid CPAP?
A CPAP machine can be recommended to you by your doctor if you have sleep apnea. It is a machine that keeps your airway open while you sleep by gently pushing air through a mask worn over the nose, mouth, or both.
However, there is no particular weight loss range that will ensure that you will not need CPAP. Mild cases of sleep apnea may be treated with just a slight loss of weight to improve symptoms to an extent that CPAP is no longer needed, or alternative treatments become an option.
There is a complicated relationship between CPAP and body weight. The use of a CPAP machine may also result in weight gain in some people.
This is why treatment of sleep apnea is best done as a combination treatment. CPAP will open the airway and support your breathing pattern. While e weight loss and sleep apnea management together aids in long-term betterment and may reduce how much support needed later. Together, they both solve the immediate problem and any underlying factors.
How to Lose Weight for Sleep Apnea
Weight-loss can be a significant component in the treatment of sleep apnea, but it works best when done gradually and realistically. Extreme diets or intense workouts usually backfire, making your sleep and general health worse.
In order to lose weight, you can try behavioral therapy, a calorie-restricted diet, and increased exercise or physical activity.
During behavioral therapy, your healthcare provider can help you identify your eating and sleep patterns.
Follow the diet that you will be most likely to stick to. Remember, it is not the foods that you eat, but the total number of calories that you take in each day that helps you lose weight.
A man needs roughly around 1,500-1,800 calories a day, and a female needs 1200-1500 calories a day. To stay on track with your weight loss and sleep apnea journey, follow these tips:
- Eat three balanced meals each day
- Include a protein source in every meal
- Set a realistic weight loss goal, typically 1-2 pounds a week.
- Drink lots of water a day
- Limit sugary drinks and snacks
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, and seeds.
- Consistently follow your workout routine to get real results
Conclusion
Weight loss may significantly improve your symptoms of sleep apnea and get your energy back to normal. It is usually suggested to aim for losing a minimum of 5 percent of your body mass, but 10 percent or higher can help even more.
But remember, weight loss alone is rarely the full solution. This should never stop you from getting a proper diagnosis and treatment for sleep apnea.
If you need a plan or a proper diagnosis, Lola, one of our functional nurse practitioners, is here to help you. She can guide you with personalized strategies and a meal plan to support your overall weight loss and sleep apnea journey.
Book your appointment today.
