Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Apnea and Dieting: How Hormones Work Against You

By Pam McKee

Struggling with weight loss can be frustrating, but it is miserable when youre also tired all the time. For people with apnea, there is a scientific connection between weight gain and sleep loss.

Yes, sleep is necessary for not only mental focus and physical stamina but is essential to regulate your weight!

You might have a hidden sleep disorder that is wreaking havoc on your hormones " and leading to more weight gain!

Sleep apnea related weight gain is all too common. It is estimated that 80 million Americans live with undiagnosed sleep apnea today.

Trying to lose weight without treating your apnea is a losing battle. Your body needs deep sleep night after night to regulate healthy functions, maintain your metabolism and to lose weight.

If you have apnea and are not regularly using CPAP, then you are almost certainly going to gain weight.

What's the relationship between sleep apnea and weight gain:

1. Not enough sleep and your body tries to make up for the lack of energy by craving sugars, carbs and a higher calorie count in general. In one study, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, people with a more severe case of the sleep disorder had a higher intake of calories, protein, cholesterol and saturated fat.

2. The Quebec Family Study found that short sleepers (five to six hours a night) were 35% more likely than average sleepers to have an 11-pound weight gain over six years.

3. Without good sleep, the levels of the hormone ghrelin go way up. Ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite. So getting good sleep is probably the most natural appetite suppressant in the world!

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