Why Sleep Makes a Difference in Weight Control

Managing your weight can be difficult, especially if there are underlying factors at play like poor quality sleep.

At OakBend Medical Group, our medical team specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea, a common disorder that affects your quality of sleep. Christopher Reilly, MD, FACS, Steven M. Thomas, MD, FACS, and Genna Lubrano, MD customize a treatment plan to address the root cause of sleep apnea to support healthy weight and overall well-being.

Why sleep matters for weight control

Poor quality sleep and sleep deprivation can contribute to weight gain and an inability to lose weight successfully. This is because your sleep quality and quantity can significantly increase your risk for metabolic disorders.

Metabolic disorders occur when chemical reactions in your body interfere with your digestive processes. These processes help break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that your body uses for energy. When abnormal chemical reactions occur, you may have too little or too much of certain substances to remain healthy.

When you have a metabolic disorder, your body may not store fat the way it should. This can make it difficult for you to lose weight and prevent weight gain. You may also experience an increase in your appetite that triggers you to eat more food than you might otherwise consume.

Those who have sleep apnea or other sleep disorders may not be able to improve their quality of sleep through lifestyle changes alone. If you snore loudly or wake up at night gasping for breath, you shouldn’t put off a diagnostic evaluation for sleep apnea with our team.

What to know about sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that develops when excess tissues at the back of your throat relax too much during the night. The tissues block your airways and make it difficult for you to take in enough oxygen.

In addition to loud snoring and gasping for breath, you may experience other sleep apnea symptoms, including:

Mood changes
Memory issues
Daytime sleepiness
Morning headaches
Dry mouth and sore throat

Without treatment, sleep apnea can lead to weight control issues and more serious illnesses, including stroke, heart failure, and diabetes.

Improving your sleep quality with sleep apnea treatment

Our physicians perform physical exams to determine if you have sleep apnea. They may also request a sleep study that monitors your breathing and other vital signs as you sleep.

If you have sleep apnea, our providers create a treatment plan to improve your breathing at night. Initially, they can recommend strategies you can use to lose weight on your own, since obesity can contribute to sleep apnea symptoms.

When you have a lot of weight to lose and struggle to achieve your weight loss goals, our bariatric specialists can determine if you’re a candidate for gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or other type of bariatric surgery.

You may also benefit from a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine that delivers supplemental oxygen through a face mask you wear during sleep. If you have severe sleep apnea issues, our physicians can refer you to a surgical specialist who can remove excess tissue from your throat to enhance your breathing.

Call OakBend Medical Group in Richmond, Texas, to schedule a diagnostic evaluation of sleep apnea symptoms or book an appointment online today.