Dr. Longenecker’s Story
“Through my own experience by losing weight, I was able to almost eliminate my sleep apnea, thus dramatically improving my life, all while improving my overall health. I would much rather treat someone’s cause than treat a symptom. This is why I have become a certified health coach.”
Sleep Apnea and Weight Loss
The link between excess weight and sleep apnea are well established.
Being overweight can cause excess tissue in the back of the throat, which restricts airflow into the lungs. For others, sleep apnea disrupts the sleep cycle due to a signaling issue from the brain. Either way, sleep apnea prevents patients from getting the sleep that they need to enjoy optimal health and functionality.
There’s a vicious cycle of sleeping poorly, reduced motivation, lesser physical activity, weight gain, and sleep apnea. Losing just 10% of your weight can dramatically improve your sleep apnea symptoms!
It might seem like you should be able to notice sleep apnea, since it causes pauses in breathing throughout the night. Surprisingly, it is not uncommon to be completely unaware of sleep apnea. Patients’ nighttime awakenings are so brief that they will not remember them the next day.
The best way to find out if sleep apnea is the cause of your weight gain is with a sleep study here at our practice. Besides weight gain, some of the other indicators of sleep apnea include:
- You feel fatigued during the day
- The person you sleep with tells you that you snore or make gasping noises during sleep
- Your memory is decreased
- You have headaches or dry mouth in the morning
- You are irritable or have frequent mood swings
Dr. Longenecker’s Experience
Curing Sleep Apnea with Healthy Living
Based on his own experiences with sleep apnea and weight loss, Dr. Longenecker became a health coach to offer a weight loss solution for his patients who wish to try this route before going with oral appliance therapy.
When appropriate, a combination of weight loss, healthy habits, and oral appliance therapy, may eliminate all of your sleep apnea symptoms forever.
Weight loss alone may not always cure sleep apnea completely; however, you will certainly be healthier, and it is likely that your sleep apnea will improve at some level. You can discover the right combination of treatment and lifestyle changes through a consultation with Dr. Longenecker.
Dr. Longenecker has experienced sleep apnea himself, and is proud to provide the latest advancements in sleep apnea diagnosis and recovery. Overcoming sleep apnea should be a comfortable and worthwhile process. You deserve to enjoy optimal whole body health and refreshing sleep!
To learn more, don’t hesitate to call. We can’t wait to assist you.