Sleep apnea?

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CoachJen71
CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
edited November 2021 in Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
My doc says losing weight will help somewhat. (Mine is not just obstructive, but my brain forgets to tell me to breathe.)

Any success stories of shedding both pounds and apnea?
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Replies

  • sljohnson1207
    sljohnson1207 Posts: 818 Member
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    My husband lost weight, but it didn't help his apnea. Still needs a CPAP (not sure of his exact diagnosis...he even has it sitting up, laying on his side, and on his stomach), but that helps tremendously for the quality of our (both of us) sleep.
  • peter_rotten
    peter_rotten Posts: 28 Member
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    My wife, very politely, told me that the fatter I get, the more I snore. After slowly losing 45 pounds, she claims that I don't snore anymore. Personally, I don't believe that I ever snored. :tongue:
  • CoachJen71
    CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Guess it could go either way then. :^)
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    My husband lost weight (just 20 pounds, but losing more). Apnea and snoring gone (bless him). Part of it was that he was more comfortable sleeping in different positions. The other part just how his throat works with more weight.
  • MarthaQ2
    MarthaQ2 Posts: 47 Member
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    You can do things to help your sleep apnea like losing weight. Excess weight and sleep apnea~people who are overweight have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which can fall down over the airway and block the flow of air into the lungs while they sleep. My hubby has sleep apnea and lying on his side helps. He had sleep studies done and uses the CPAP every night. That is also the only way I can sleep. I can't sleep if I hear him gasping for air and snoring so loudly that it wakes me up.It also frightens me so! I love his CPAP! It means a Silent Night for both of us!
  • ReinasWrath
    ReinasWrath Posts: 1,173 Member
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    After I lost weight (about 40lbs) I noticed mine seems to have gone away. I used to have it happen to me all the time and now its been months. :) Good luck!
  • janerfitnesspal145
    janerfitnesspal145 Posts: 55 Member
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    So very true (above)! I definitely couldn't sleep w/o my husband's CPAP. His snoring would make a banshee jealous and the not breathing scares the crap out of me, which made it impossible for me to get a decent night sleep. But to answer the original question, I have noticed over the years (he's been using a CPAP for 14 years) that when he gains weight he starts snoring and he has to have the CPAP set to a higher level.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,783 Member
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    Mines gone :)
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    I've lost 100ish pounds and mine hasn't changed a bit. I still need about the same CPAP setting.

    I will say that the combination of CPAP and weight loss has made me feel like a different person. I wouldn't give up my CPAP for anything!
  • enicus91
    enicus91 Posts: 16 Member
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    Sleep Apnea can happen to anybody; my doctor has seen it in toddlers. Losing weight can help with snoring, but it won't necessarily get rid of the sleep apnea.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    My youngest had sleep apnea until he had his tonsils removed (they were obstructing his airway).

    I used to have sleep apnea. After losing weight it is completely better (but I still grind my teeth).
  • bobkat80
    bobkat80 Posts: 347 Member
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    After losing about 50 pounds I noticed that when I slept on my back my throat wasn't obstructed any more, but I still use my CPAP machine because I like to sleep with my head under the covers. (I work nights and sleep days so it this makes it darker for me.)
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
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    Used to have it .. lost 50 lbs of ugly fat and several inches off my neck (really the issue here) .. and no more issues.

    They say 17 inches for men and 16 inches for women is the danger zone when it comes to sleep apnea.
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
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    My doc says losing weight will help somewhat. (Mine is not just obstructive, but my brain forgets to tell me to breathe.)

    Any success stories of shedding both pounds and apnea?

    Losing weight will certainly be great for your health, but I've personally never heard of it benefiting central apnea. I have mixed apnea, but predominately obstructive. I wasn't substantially overweight when diagnosed, and required surgery for cpap to even work for me at all. I'm not sure what will happen with mine when I lose more, but that's on hold for pregnancy.

    I hope that your doctor is correct, and that you see improvement.
  • BeardedYoung
    BeardedYoung Posts: 229 Member
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    I have very severe apnea (116 per hour) and I am very curious. My sleep doctor said they would retest me if I lost 100lbs but with my apnea they don't think that I will ever be off the CPAP. Apnea is awful, I may never be rid of it, but I know dropping weight will help me with the other affects. I sleep so little (between 3-5hours) that it for sure takes a toll on my body. I need to make my body healthy if anything with my apnea gets better that's a bonus.
  • gertudejekyl
    gertudejekyl Posts: 386 Member
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    Used to have it .. lost 50 lbs of ugly fat and several inches off my neck (really the issue here) .. and no more issues.

    They say 17 inches for men and 16 inches for women is the danger zone when it comes to sleep apnea.
    I'll measure later....
  • Cby60
    Cby60 Posts: 38 Member
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    I lost. 25lbs and my husband says the snoring and apnea are gone!
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    Being overweight is definitely a cause for sleep apnea. Fat around the neck squeezes the throat, and disrupts normal breathing. Sometimes so bad that they're put on oxygen with tubes in their noses while they sleep. Heavy snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea. It's a vicious cycle because when you're not sleeping well, a person tends to eat more, because they're tired all the time.
  • ANTlSOClAL
    ANTlSOClAL Posts: 47
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    80 pounds lost since my OSA was first diagnosed. It has improved but not gone away. My sleep doctor says there is no guarantee but to keep losing the weight.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I did not have apnea per se, but I used to snore. I recorded it often on my phone sleep app. After losing weight I'm quiet all through the night apart from the occasional mumble.

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