Weight loss surgery can help you sleep better

November 20th, 2009

More than 12 million people in the U.S. suffer from sleep apnea, and people who are overweight and obese tend to suffer from this sleep disorder more. Sleep apnea is not just loud snoring. Due to the irregular breathing low blood oxygen level could arise then can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and mood and memory problems.

What is sleep apnea? According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep apnea is a chronic disorder wherein the breathing is repeatedly interrupted for brief moments while sleeping. This happens because the soft palate in the back of the mouth falls down and blocks the airway.

The good news is that reduction in just 10 percent of body weight in obese people, who suffer from sleep apnea, can lead to a significant improvement in the condition. Weight loss surgery can help you achieve weight loss much greater than 10 percent.

Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia, and colleagues from six other universities recently completed the largest randomized study on the effects of weight loss on sleep apnea in patients with type 2 diabetes. The new study, called Sleep AHEAD, looked at 264 obese men and women between 45 and 75 years old. The researchers found that 87 percent of obese patients who suffer from Type 2 diabetes had sleep apnea and were not even aware of it.

During the study, the 264 participants were broken into two groups: the first received a intensive behavioral weight loss program developed especially for obese patients with type 2 diabetes, portion-controlled diets, and a prescribed exercise regimen of 175 minutes per week. The second attended three group informational sessions over a one-year period that focused on diabetes management through diet, physical activity and social support.

After one year, those who were part of the intensive program lost an average of 24 pounds. More than three times as many participants in this group had complete remission of their sleep apnea and also had about half the instances of severe sleep apnea as the second group. The study results were published in the Sept. 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Any amount of weight loss proved to be beneficial, but those who lost about 10 percent of their original body weight saw the greatest effect. “These results show that doctors as well as patients can expect a significant improvement in their sleep apnea with weight loss,” said Foster, the study’s lead author.

Sources: Renee Cree, Temple University. “Temple-Led Study Finds Weight Loss Has Significant Impact On Sleep Apnea.” Oct 29, 2009. Available at http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/165536.php. Accessed Nov 16, 2009.

“Weight loss can help you sleep better.” Oct 29, 2009. Available at http://topnews.us/content/27438-weight-loss-can-help-you-sleep-better. Accessed Nov 16, 2009.

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