Weighty Issues - When Your Body Size Becomes Your #1 Sleep Disorder

Being overweight is a very dangerous health problem. It is bad enough that you have back problems, you have very little energy, and your clothes don't fit. Some people have low self esteem and have tried every diet known to man and have still failed to loose weight. Your have heart problems and high blood pressure. On top of that even sleeping is a dangerous task. One of the biggest causes of death among overweight people is sleep apnea. Yes. Just by going to sleep your fat can kill you.

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that can result in death if not properly treated. The disorder involves the repeated collapse of the windpipe, which causes a sleeper to awaken slightly due to shortness of breath. People who suffer from sleep apnea often experience daytime drowsiness, poor performance at work and depression. One of the most common and most frightening effects is that you literally stop breathing when this happens.

Sometimes extra skin found in the back of the roof of the mouth will lay on the airway blocking your air passage. This is the most dangerous thing to happen. You may go three or four minutes before your body can wake up to fix this problem. In that three or four minutes you could die. During your waking moments if oxygen is blocked, in two to three minutes you would pass out as a natural defense. If you don't get any air shortly after this happens you will die. If you are already asleep, your body is already passed out. Your body has to do the exact opposite: wake you up. This conflicts with the body's original defense. This is why so many people die from sleep apnea.

Experts say that sleep apnea occurs when muscles in a person's throat relax excessively during sleep. Once diagnosed, treatment can help prevent or reverse the symptoms. These treatments can include sleep position training, weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, using special oral or nasal appliances, or surgery.

Sleep apnea does occasionally occur in thin patients, but generally it is only a condition that occurs in overweight people. Very rarely does a smaller patient have the disorder.

Another sleep disorder common among overweight people, although not as deadly is heartburn. Gastro esophageal reflux, or heartburn, is recognized by burning chest pain. Another typical symptom is a sensation of food coming back into the mouth with a bitter, acidic taste. This disorder can also be accompanied by asthmatic breathing, coughing and hoarseness. Occasionally, gastro esophageal reflux can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack, and is often mistaken for one. This disorder is caused by acid "backing up" into the esophagus during sleep. This is easily treatable with medication.

Another sleep disorder common among overweight men is loud snoring. This is not deadly unless you are sleeping with someone else. The snoring won't kill you, but your bed partner may. The more overweight you are they harder and louder you snore. This is because the more overweight you are, the more your airways are being blocked. If you loose some weight, the snoring will lighten or go away.

Loosing weight and creating good eating habits will help reduce or eliminate these three common sleep disorders. Loosing weight is not only good for your health; it is good for your sleep as well. The more weight you loose, the better. As you loose weight, you will notice your sleep becomes more restful. You will awake feeling rested instead of tired. You will breath easier when sleeping. Your heartburn will go away. Your partner will stop hitting you to stop snoring. You won't wake up sweaty. You won't have back problems. Your dreams will even seem more productive. Most people don't realize that their weight can be a danger to them even in sleep. It can be dangerous, and it should be a big concern. Loose the weight; sleep great. Try it. Not only will you sleep better, but you will feel healthier. You will have more energy. You will be able to look in the mirror and be happy. And you will be able to sleep in peace. All this should be worth the time and energy it takes to loose weight.