Snoring and Obesity: Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round

If you snore, you may need to lose weight. There’s a definite correlation—one which your doctor (or your spouse!) has probably pointed out to you. But did you know that snoring also causes weight gain?

It’s true: if you snore, you will most likely continue to gain weight. In other words, you’re on a merry-go-round: The more overweight you are, the more likely you are to snore. The more you snore, the more likely you are to gain weight. Repeat.

Why do Fat People Snore?

Overweight people have too much body fat. While some fat is concentrated in certain areas, most of it is distributed evenly over your body. In other words, you have extra body fat in your toes; and extra body fat in your belly; and extra fat in your neck and throat area.

Extra toe fat doesn’t usually cause lifestyle problems; you don’t even notice it! You might not notice the extra fat in your neck and throat area either, but trust me: if you’re overweight, it’s there, and it’s causing problems.

Fat in your neck and throat narrows your air passages, making it harder to catch your breath. When you’re lying down, your body position further narrows the air passage. Snoring is the sound your sleeping body makes as it struggles to take in oxygen.

And that’s not all: the increase in body fat actually displaces good muscle tissue. You lose muscle tone, and the tissues in your throat become saggy—leading to more pronounced snoring.

Snoring Exacerbates Sleep Apnea

So far you probably haven’t read anything new. You know this stuff—and you probably know that snoring aggravates sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is serious. The condition is characterized by periods of sleep during which you stop breathing. Completely. Your brain is on the job even while you’re asleep, and it wakes you. You may not wake completely, but you’re roused from sleep nonetheless. In fact, some people wake up many times every night.

Sleep apnea leads to potential heart problems, but it also causes a situation that seems less serious: you’re exhausted. You never get enough sleep. And in an effort to gain enough energy to make it through the day, you eat too much. You’ve climbed aboard the merry-go-round.

How to Stop Snoring if You Are Overweight

You must decide to get off the merry-go-round with moderate exercise and healthy eating. It’s not easy, but it’s the only way to get off the weight gain/snoring carousel.

About the Author: Andreas Henderson, MR, published author and medical researcher has spent many years supporting people stop snoring. He started www.StopSnoringAdvice.com with one mission; to help people who want to put an end to their snoring.