You've heard it before: Americans are gaining weight. The American Heart Association recently released a 2013 statistic reporting that 154.7 million people age 20 or older are overweight or obese. You need only read a Cheerios box to familiarize yourself with the long list of numerous complications weight gain poses on cardiovascular health and diabetes.
You can debate the health consequences of "a few extra pounds" or even argue that BMI (that's body mass index, here's a link to a BMI calculator) doesn't give a complete picture of your health (this recent LA Times article cites claims that there's a lot more to health than only weight).
But two things are clear:
- More Americans are overweight
- Overweight people sleep less
What many Americans fail to recognize is the huge effect an elevated body weight has on sleep quality, and vice versa. Unfortunately, inadequate sleep and weight gain come as a diabolical package. The sleep-deprived tend to take on a series of bad habits that inch the scale right including ditching gym sessions and opting for carb-based foods loaded with sugar for a quick shot of energy. The weight gain then results in poor sleep quality as excess fat can lead to blocked airways, causing disturbing cessations of breathing in the night; a vicious, frustrating cycle that quickly sabotages weight loss plans.
Many overweight Americans are afflicted by a diagnosable sleep disorder. The most common sleep disorder is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If left untreated, OSA could have some very serious health repercussions that people often overlook when considering both weight loss and sleep.
The easiest way to break the cycle, lose weight, improve your health and feel better is to get a healthy amount of quality sleep. For many, one of the first steps on this journey is completing a sleep study.
