I can't lose weight after the new year, and my stomach is acidic. Doctor warns: Be careful about sleep apnea.
The Chinese New Year gourmet feast highlights the obesity problem. Statistics from the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare show that adult weight control in Taiwan is unbalanced. More than 80% of people over the age of 30 have excessive body fat, and they gain an average of 2 kilograms more after the Chinese New Year. The obesity problem is unstoppable. Some people even develop acid reflux.
Not sleeping well is the main reason why you can’t lose weight!
Dr. Cai Mingshao, director of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Oral Pharyngology at Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, who treats more than 800 new sleep apnea patients every year, emphasized that there is a close relationship between obesity and sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder in which patients experience pauses in breathing during sleep, causing the body to become deprived of oxygen. Dr. Cai pointed out that in obese people, fat accumulates in the neck and tongue, causing the respiratory muscles to easily narrow, collapse, and become blocked, causing sleep apnea. This state will not only lead to severe snoring, but also symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and lack of energy during the day. In the long run, it can easily lead to obesity and endanger the patient’s overall health.
Dr. Tsai specifically reminds you of the seriousness of excessive “visceral fat”. Visceral fat, also known as internal fat, refers to the fat that mainly surrounds the abdominal organs. It is different from the subcutaneous fat under the skin. Visceral fat is not only one of the indicators of obesity, but also highly related to various metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
In addition, poor sleep quality will interfere with the normal operation of endocrine systems, especially reducing the production of leptin, which will increase people’s desire for sweets and high-calorie junk food, further leading to excessive calorie intake and obesity. In addition, because sleep apnea patients find it difficult to get adequate rest at night, their activity level and basal metabolic rate decrease due to poor mental performance during the day, forming a vicious cycle of high caloric intake and low consumption: poor sleep leads to obesity, which further leads to obesity. Deteriorating sleep quality.
Acid rush linked to abdominal fat
Acid reflux is divided into “throat acid reflux” and “gastroesophageal reflux”. The former is when stomach acid reaches the throat, causing patients to cough easily, feel a foreign body sensation in the throat, and have a strange feeling of difficulty breathing; the latter makes people feel heartburn and discomfort.
Dr. Cai cleverly compared “obesity, acid reflux, and sleep apnea” to a love triangle. One patient was obese and often felt burning in the chest and a foreign body sensation in the throat. He was diagnosed with sleep apnea and was treating sleep apnea. After successful weight loss, gastroesophageal reflux may be cured without medication!
Visceral fat in obese people will increase intra-abdominal pressure and squeeze the breathing space in the chest. In addition, due to airway obstruction during sleep, negative airway pressure will be formed when inhaling forcefully. At this time, it is like a pumping motor sucking gastric acid into the throat, causing coughing, Foreign body sensation and coughing. Clinically, about 45% of patients with sleep apnea also have acid reflux in the throat. If gastroesophageal reflux is suspected to be poorly treated, it may be gastroesophageal reflux in the throat.
In response to the needs of obese people, doctors provide the three most effective weight loss strategies
Dr. Cai Mingshao said that except for some patients with sleep apnea who require surgical treatment, the use of positive pressure breathing is the most immediate and effective method to treat sleep apnea. If combined with weight loss, the effect will be even better. Generally speaking, people with sleep apnea usually experience significant improvements in their health after losing 5-10% of their body weight. The international authoritative journal JAMA even pointed out that if you lose 10% of your body weight, your apnea index can be reduced by 26%.
Dr. Cai emphasized that “7 points of weight loss depend on diet and 3 points on exercise.” Most patients with apnea suffer from obesity. Excessive exercise can easily cause physical harm. Therefore, three major weight loss strategies are proposed for obese people:
Adopt the Harvard Healthy Plate Diet: 1/2 fruits and vegetables, 1/4 beans, fish, eggs, meat, 1/4 whole grains, and consume 30cc of water or sugar-free drinks based on your body weight.
Avoid cooking methods high in oil, sugar and salt.
Incorporate exercise into daily life, such as climbing stairs and walking at least 6,000 steps a day.
Dr. Cai Mingshao also shared a diagnosis and treatment experience. A 50-year-old man’s snoring problem worsened as he gained 10 kilograms of weight. His troubled wife took the initiative to seek medical treatment. After three months of dietary adjustments, the patient successfully lost 6 kilograms. Not only did the symptoms of sleep apnea significantly improve, but more importantly, the whole person became energetic and radiant, showing the amazing effect of healthy transformation.
The number of people undergoing sleep testing will increase after the new year
Colin’s sleep technician Hong Xiaojing said that after the New Year, many people came for sleep testing and medical diagnosis of sleep apnea because they were observed by relatives and friends snoring or dozing off in front of the TV. Most of the patients were diagnosed with sleep apnea. With the obesity problem, we also call on the public to maintain good eating habits and maintain an appropriate weight.
When weight control is ineffective, beware of sleep apnea interference. It is recommended to find out whether there is a symptom through home sleep testing without going to a sleep center to arrange a bed. If sleep apnea can be treated while losing weight, sleep quality can be improved, metabolism can be accelerated, and weight management can be helpful.
Further reading:
Risk of myocardial infarction in cold weather rises: sleep apnea may be the key
