The statistics are shocking: two-thirds (about 65 percent) of Americans are overweight or obese. Carrying around that extra weight can cause serious health problems, including joint pain, heart disease, diabetes and even an increased risk for cancer. It can also have a negative impact on how well you sleep and may lead to obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person’s breathing pauses repeatedly during sleep due to an obstruction of the airway. In order to resume breathing, the body wakes up. This interrupted sleep cycle prevents restful sleep and leaves you feeling exhausted during the day. Like obesity, when left untreated, sleep apnea can contribute heart disease, diabetes, depression, weakened immune system, high blood pressure, memory loss and a number of other long-term health risks.
An estimated 18 million Americans have sleep apnea, according to the National Sleep Foundation, and the condition is often associated with people who are overweight or obese. Weight gain in the trunk and neck area can compromise respiratory function. The problem is compounded by the fact that an individual who suffers from sleep-disordered breathing may lack the energy to exercise in order to maintain a healthy weight. It’s a vicious cycle — obesity can lead to sleep apnea, but sleep problems can also contribute to obesity.
Bariatric surgery is proven to help people lose weight and keep it off for good. These patients have often struggled to lose weight with diet and exercise alone, and with sleep apnea in the mix, losing weight can seem nearly impossible.
Individuals with sleep apnea are often prescribed a CPAP machine to help maintain healthy oxygen levels during sleep. Following weight loss surgery, many patients who were once dependent on the CPAP are able to achieve a normal weight range, allowing them to sleep without the CPAP machine.
For more than 20 years, Dr. Todd McCarty, founder of McCarty Weight Loss Center in Dallas, TX, has been helping patients address sleep apnea and weight loss through bariatric procedures such as gastric bypass and the McCarty Mini Sleeve. Dr. McCarty is a leader in bariatric innovation and his expertise can help you reclaim the aspects of your life obesity has stolen.
If you are overweight and suffer from sleep apnea that leaves you feeling exhausted day and night, don’t wait any longer to seek obesity treatment in Dallas. Call McCarty Weight Loss Center today. We’ll help you lose the weight and get back to a good night’s sleep.
