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It’s long been known that overweight people are more likely to suffer from a sleep disordered breathing condition.  This is hardly surprising, as the soft tissue of the tongue, soft palate and pharyngeal walls ‘bulk up’ with fat deposits, thus constricting the upper airway.

But many people are unaware of the fact that it is NOT simply a case of ‘fat people snore’.  In recent medicial research published by Dr Pascualy from the Swedish Medical Institute, a reverse connection was identified.  That is, the researchers pointed out that ‘snoring people get fat’. 

The basis of this finding was the discovery that the lipid metabolism is retarded as soon as sleep disordered breathing commences.  This is a particularly significant finding because it shows why snoring and apnoea are ‘slippery slope’ conditions which can often lead to a negative spiral. 

Specifically, the patient begins to snore or suffer from apnoeic events.  The body’s metabolism is retarded as a result, making it harder to lose weight and easier to gain weight.  The increased weight leads to ‘bulking up’ of the airway tissues, which leads in turn to increased snoring and apnoea.  The cycle is then repeated, with the patient becoming more and more tired and consequently less likely to exercise and do the things which are needed to re-boot the metabolism.

Such is the importance of this issue, leading nutritionists and dieticians are now telling patients their sleep disordered breathing condition must first be resolved before anything can be done to permanently reduce weight.  It makes sense, obviously.  Dieting with a slow metabolism will always be slow and frustrating, whereas a properly functioning metabolism will ensure rapid and sustainable results are enjoyed.

For more information on this and other health / wellbeing issues related to snoring and sleep apnoea, visit our website at www.SleepTherapyClinic.com