Sleep apnea is a common disorder, yet it is not entirely clear what causes sleep apnea. However, it is clear that one of the causes of sleep apnea is being obese, as the obese often complain of this problem and more and more research is being done into this link.
Sleep apnea is a serious condition which can cause a person to stop breathing for short periods of time during sleep, and cause drowsiness during the day. In addition, disrupted sleep can result in tiredness, headaches, depression, loss of memory and lack of energy, so determining the causes of sleep apnea and addressing these causes is important. One must address the cause of the sleep apnea, as well as the cascade of other symptoms.
Obstructive sleep apnea has also been linked to more serious problems like high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. This breathing disorder is associated with obesity hypoventilation syndrome.
One of the causes of sleep apnea is excess body fat on the neck and chest, which constricts the air passages and sometimes the lungs themselves. This cause of sleep apnea is a result of general obesity, particularly abdominal and upper body obesity. It is the most significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea and the more obese a person, the greater the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Thus morbid or malignant obesity carries a greater risk.
Since obesity is one of the causes of sleep apnea, weight loss can be a treatment. Weight loss leads to a significant improvement in most cases, with symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea greatly relieved. While other treatments may be necessary, even modest weight reduction can help get the condition under control. In addition, general weight loss has other health benefits, so the treatment of sleep apnea in this way may have overarching positive impact on one’s health.