866.465.4478Obesity and OSA: Links Between Lack of Sleep and Obesity
The link between OSA, lack of sleep, and obesity hinges on the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which regulate hunger and appetite. As obstructive sleep apnea reduces the quality of sleep, these hormones are thrown off balance, and the cravings for food increase.
Why Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Obesity
Ghrelin is the hormone that stimulates appetite. Leptin is the hormone that reduces appetite after we’ve eaten. With poor sleep, ghrelin levels rise, and leptin levels drop, creating a hormonal desire for food which, if not curbed, causes weight gain.
What is the Link between Stress and Belly Fat?
Other factors such as stress can also contribute to weight gain. Long periods of stress can stimulate an increase in belly fat. Biochemical changes due to stress may increase estrogen and suppress progesterone, which enhances abdominal fat in both men and women.1
Progesterone helps to stimulate the upper airway and tongue, especially during periods of deep sleep. More stress and less progesterone can increase the frequency of sleep apnea, causing a vicious cycle of stress, lack of sleep, overeating, and obesity.
Are Men and Women Equally Prone to Obesity Due to Lack of Sleep?
Lack of sleep and obesity can affect both men and women. Yet women in their late 30s and 40s are at a slightly higher risk. Diminished progesterone for women in this age group further contributes to the risk of obesity due to the onset of menopause. Changes in breathing patterns may cause women during this time of life to sleep poorly, which can further throw off their hormonal balance and lead to overeating during the day.
Can Poor Circulation Cause Belly Fat?
Poor sleep may also cause poor circulation, which leads to increases in belly fat. Obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders reduce blood oxygen levels which impacts healthy circulation. Long periods of low oxygen levels in the intestines may cause changes that lead to fat accumulation.
Are Hormones Responsible for Weight Gain?
Understanding the role that hormones play in weight gain is essential to understanding the impact poor sleep has on obesity. When lack of sleep causes those critical hormones leptin and ghrelin to change, the ability to control hunger becomes more difficult and the risk for unhealthy weight gain increases.
Losing Weight with Better Sleep
The role of healthy sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. But a sleep disorder like sleep apnea may make that goal difficult or nearly impossible to achieve. That’s why it is important to know if sleep apnea is affecting your sleep by getting tested.
A home sleep test diagnosis is easy at Sleep Care Online. Here is how it works:
- With the Complete Care Package, schedule a 10-minute telehealth visit with a healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms, upcoming sleep study, test results, and treatment options.
- A multi-night, disposable home sleep apnea test is mailed to your home to be completed at your convenience.
- A physician analyzes the sleep data and provides a prescription if needed.
- Schedule an optional follow-up appointment (additional fee applies).
- We connect you to sleep experts who can offer customized sleep therapy options, assistance in equipment purchase, and initial set-up.
Home sleep apnea tests and telehealth services are now available nationwide. Call 866-465-4478 or email contact@sleepcareonline.com for more information.
Order a Home Sleep Test Today!
Reference:
- Doctor Steven Park. Why Sleep Loss Can Make You Gain Belly Fat. Published 5 Feb 2020. Accessed Oct 2020.