Re: Effect of weight loss on sleep apne
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Re: Effect of weight loss on sleep apne

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Posted by Captin Cannuck on May 13, 2008 at 16:43:05:

In Reply to: Re: Effect of weight loss on sleep apne posted by seattlebill on May 06, 2008 at 22:24:06:

Bill, I think that you have summed it up well. Upon re-reading the passage, there is one conclusion that I think we missed. It is a telling one.

THE KEY QUESTION IN DETERMINING THE DEGREE OF EFFECTIVENESS OF WEIGHT LOSS: HOW DID APNEA ONSET OCCUR?
If we look at the passage carefully, think that Pascualy is saying that the determining factor on the effectiveness of weight loss is HOW THE ONSET of OSA happened. He is saying that weight loss will be much more likely to help a person who didn't originally have much sleep apnea, but who got fat *AND THEN* developed sleep apnea. In this person, the airway is being occluded or narrowed by his lard. If he loses the weight that he gained, this kind of person would benefit much more than a person with an anatomic abormality.

Pascualy is saying that there is a second type of person who would not benefit as much from weight loss. This is a person whose apnea was due to an anatomic abnormality. For example, a person who had an unusually small airway, or unusually large tonsils etc. To be clear, this person would probably still benefit to some limited extent by losing a few pounds (even in non-apneic people, breathing improves with weight loss), but he would benefit to much lesser extent than the person whose apnea was triggered by weight gain.

CONCLUSION:
So, we should ask ourselves the question: Did I get apnea after gaining a lot of weight? If the answer is yes, then one would be a better candidate for reducing apnea via weight loss. To be realistic, this means by 25% to 50%. Most likely it will be closer to the 25% and not the 50%. Weight loss is not going to be the total solution (unless we are near the 'threashold' (ie. we have a mild case of apnea). But, however severe we are, weighloss will do nothing but improve our situation.

HOW?
If you are still game, then read on. A person will have to take action. We can make lifestyle changes.
1. Get Rid of Stress by making the changes that need to be made.
First, I think it is really important to think about our whole lifestyles. Big point is stress. Making the big changes that help us to get rid of unnecessary stress is vital. Stress makes lots of people over-eat (from the caveman days, evolution made us think that when we were stressed, famine was coming, so we really pack it on. Our brains go into survival mode sending signals that tell us to eat more and more. It is a kind of short circuit.) Dieting/exercising won't help so much if stress triggers remain intact - to make real change, we have to eliminate those triggers once and for all. For example, if we have a boss who is yelling at us everyday, and we are anesthetizing ourselves with pizza to console ourselves, then bite the bullet and follow the advice of that old country song (you know the one!). Same is true about abusive relationships etc. Put on that old Paul Simon Song "50 Ways to Leave your Lover" and follow his advice!

In my opinion, that is part of the answer. I think the other part is more obvious.

2. Avoid Dieting (yes, you heard that right!). Eating more often, but not to excess - Experts suggest that eating many small meals throughout the day, and eating slowly is best. We should eat enough so that we are not hungry, but at the same time, not eat so much food that your body saves it as fat. Think of a bathtub. We want the tub to be full, but not overflowing. When it is overflowing, the water on the floor is saved as fat. When we exercise, it is opening the drain. That is good!

3. Our Body is a Temple - More Quality Control Needed. Higher Standards!
We need to think about what we are putting in our bodies. Food - We should try to avoid red meat (high in saturated fat and cholesterol), french fries, processed food made in factories that you stick in the microwave. Instead, eat real food that you cook. Eat more fish and chicken...and of course vegetables.

4. Exercise Regularly - Try a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. When we do aerobic exercise, we should get our heart rate up. Good way to check this is that you should just be able to manage to talk, but it should be a labored conversation. If you do weight resistance exercise, you will build bigger muscles which will burn more and more calories. It is analagous to building a bigger engine which will consume more gasoline. You burn calories even while you sleep.

Doctors suggest that we should exercise for about 40 minutes at least three or four times a week.


MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT:
Anatomically Induced Apnea People Should Exercise
- If your apnea is not due to weight gain and is rather due to an anatomic abnormality, then by all means, you should still exercise for maintainence purposes. Also, you will not want to exaserbate your existing apnea with additional weight induced apnea on top of what you are already dealing with.

We Should Talk Much More about Lifestyle and Exercise:
In sum, we talk a lot on this non-CPAP forum about surgical interventions, as we should do. We should not forget that surgery is not the only non-CPAP way to fight sleep apnea. Exercise and weight control is a powerful tool in our arsenals which we can bring to bear on the sleep apnea enemy. We can do it anytime we like. It costs nothing and it is available all the time. In my view, it is every bit as effective as some of the surgeries. It ameliorates our existing apnea and prevents worstening of our symptoms.

Finally, as Bill says, the benefits of weight loss will help us in many ways that are not exclusing to sleep apnea. Got a bad back? Want to lower your chances of... diabetes? Many types of cancer? Alzheimers? Diet and weight loss will help/help prevent all of these.

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