Keys to Health and Weight Control-Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise and A Good Nights Sleep
The Keys to Health and Weight Control are a Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise and a Good Night’s Sleep
People are always looking for some fast way to better health and losing weight, when the easiest Keys to Health and Weight Control are simply a Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise and A Good Nights Sleep.
Research is now showing that if you do not get enough sleep, you will eating food that is higher in
calories and saturated fat. So, those of you who suffer from sleep apnea, your diet will be affected by sleep apnea.
You’ve heard it a million times: The keys to health and weight control, are a healthy diet, regular exercise and a good night’s sleep. So why don’t more people just sleep more and eat right?
What is Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder that increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, depression and now it is known that your apnea symptoms could be sabotaging your diet.
According to a study published last month in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, adults with the most severe symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, ate a diet higher in calories, cholesterol and artery clogging saturated fat than those with less severe symptoms.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea. What happens is that the upper airway gets completely or partly blocked during sleep, and breathing briefly stops. These breathing pauses, or apnea’s, can last up to 30 seconds and can happen many times throughout the night. The brain senses the breathing difficulty and rouses you from sleep to reopen your airway. But, you get no rest , leaving you tired, grumpy and some even falling asleep during the day, any where, to catch up on their rest.
What are Sleep Apnea Problems
Sleep apnea problems include excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, memory loss and difficulty staying asleep. It sounds like old age, but it isn’t. The risky side to this disorder is that repeated bouts of sleep deprivation will boost your blood pressure, which over time increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
The condition of Sleep Apnea, is often treated with a mechanical device called CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) that blows air down the throat or nose to keep the passageway open during sleep.
It’s estimated that 20% of adults have mild sleep apnea problems and one in 15 have at least moderate sleep apnea problems. Obstructive sleep apnea also affects as many as 3 per cent of our children.
What are Contributing Factors of Apnea
Alcohol, smoking, obesity and being overweight are lifestyle factors linked with the condition. As many as 70 per cent of all people with obstructive sleep apnea are classified as obese, which mean that they have a body mass index of 30 or greater.
So, it is not surprising when people with Sleep Apnea, whose disorder increases with severity of symptoms…was linked with a higher intake of calories, protein, cholesterol and saturated fat. It is a vicious cycle. Symptom severity is measured by the number of breathing disturbances during sleep. With the exception of cholesterol, these associations were seen mainly in women.
As we are all warned, higher cholesterol and a higher intake of saturated fat can further boost the risk of heart disease by raising blood cholesterol.
Sleep Apnea is tied to obesity and that obese individuals are more likely to consume more fat and cholesterol. But this new study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, revealed that severe sleep apnea symptoms affected a person’s food intake regardless of body weight.
Why Does Lack of Sleep Make me Gain Weight
Any form of sleep deprivation, with or with out sleep apnea, is thought to increase production of ghrelin, the hormone that tells us we’re hungry, and decreases the production of leptin, the hormone that tells us we’re full. When you upset this balance, you risk increase cravings for carbohydrates and fatty foods.
Fatigue also causes some people to eat more food in an effort to boost energy levels. Feeling tired also reduces the motivation to exercise and burn off excess calories. It is a vicious cycle.
For all of us, it is important to how chronic lack of sleep can affect your Keys to Health and Weight Control. With out a Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise and A Good Nights Sleep, your eating habits will change and so will your weight and your health.
What Can Stop Sleep Apnea
Adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Children and teenagers need nine to 10 hours each night. So, here are some Keys to Health and Weight Control are a Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise and a Good Night’s Sleep. Life style changes, anyone can do.
- Lose Excess Weight-Lose 10% of your body weight to greatly reduce the number of sleep apnea episodes.
- Avoid Late Night Meals-do not eat spicy foods to avoid hearth burn and do not eat 2 hours before you go to bed. Also do not drink milk during that period.
- Limit Caffeine-Caffeine blocks the action of adenosine. That is a brain chemical that induces sleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping, avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening.
- Avoid Alcohol-Drinking alcohol can make your throat muscles relax more than normal, increasing the chance that your airways get blocked. Alcohol also impairs REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Thought to be the portion of sleep that is important for our memory.
- Get Up And Moving-Regular exercise helps you fall asleep faster, uses calories which promotes weight loss and relieves stress. Exercise at least three hours before bedtime. NOT before, that can keep you from falling asleep.
- Quit Smoking-Smokers have three times (3X) a greater risk of sleep apnea than non~smokers. Smoking may increase inflammation and fluid retention in the upper airway, disrupting breathing during sleep. Face it, SMOKING is totally bad. Anyway you look at it…SMOKING has a host of problems!
There you have it Baby Boomers, The Keys to Health and Weight Control are a Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise and a Good Night’s Sleep.For more information about obstructive sleep apnea, its diagnosis and treatment, visit the Mayo Clinic
~The Baby Boomer Queen~
There are always natural ways to a good nights sleep and to ALL NATURAL ways lose weight with out harmful pharmaceuticals.
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Always good advice…However most sleep deprivation occurs when the mind is on overload. Other things considered of course. I sleep well in Oregon and not so good in Arizona…When sleep is not coming I will take a melatonin, rescue remedy or count sheep backwards.