Sleep Apnea and Obesity

The rate of obesity in America continues to increase, and doctors everywhere are looking for ways to curb this epidemic. It is becoming increasingly clear that obesity is the result of multiple factors, one of which appears to be not enough sleep. Millions of Americans suffer from sleep apnea, which is a potentially deadly sleeping disorder in which a person’s sleep in interrupted by pauses in breathing. A single patient can stop breathing for possibly hundreds of times every night, so prompt treatment is necessary in order to prevent excess stress on the cardiovascular system.

 

The most common form of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea, and it is the result of the tongue of soft tissues in the mouth obstructing the flow of air through the throat. The type of sleep apnea is most commonly found in people who are overweight. One of the best indictors to determine if a person has sleep apnea is to look at a person’s neck circumference. Obese men with a neck circumference of 17 inches or greater and women with a neck circumference of 16 inches or greater are at an increased risk of developing sleep apnea.

 

A sleep apnea test can be performed by our Los Angeles sleep apnea expert to determine the best treatment option for you.