Any success stories of beating sleep apnea by losing weight?

I gained some weight over the summer and I think it has exacerbated my sleep apnea. I am not losing weight and hoping that will make a big difference. Have any of you over come your sleep apnea or reduced it by losing weight? Thanks!

Yes it may be reduced somewhat by losing a decent amount, just as I've found even a very small gain to cause problems, but in fact unless you're very large and have had bariatric surgery or only have very mild apnea to begin with (and learn to sleep on a side rather than back) very, very few 'cure' apnea long term. Part of the trouble also is that the majority of people who lose weight put at least some of it back on over time.

AstralSurfer11 wrote:I gained some weight over the summer and I think it has exacerbated my sleep apnea. I am not (now?) losing weight and hoping that will make a big difference. Have any of you over come your sleep apnea or reduced it by losing weight? Thanks!

What are your pressure settings?

I have lost app. 45 pounds since I went on treatment. My readings seem to be about the same, which is super good. I have some hypopneas. I intend to lose more weight, but, I'm not sure that will make much difference, based on what I have read. I'll keep an open mind, but, we'll see. Oh, I wasn't super overweight either.

Losing weight is a great idea, but most people the think they can stop because they lost the weight are swimming in De-Nile. Plus most cahage back to their old habits, and gain it back in spades. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear, just a honest reality. Good luck losing the weight and keeping it off. Jim

Goofproof wrote: Plus most cahage back to their old habits, and gain it back in spades. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear, just a honest reality. Good luck losing the weight and keeping it off. Jim

Very true, it's hard, which is why I always watched my weight and nipped it in the bud before it got out of hand.

However, if people can quit smoking, or beat addiction to various other chemicals, people should be able to change their weight and maintain it. Yes, some people fall off the wagon dealing with any addiction, but it can be done!

I wish you success!

I lost quite a lot of weight years ago and was well within the range of a healthy normal weight, and while I was undiagnosed at the time, I was insanely tired ALL the time. Like miserably, painfully tired. So I feel like even if I got back down to the size I was, nothing would change. As much as I hate my machine, I think I'm always going to need it.

At one point I went on a exercise and diet program I came up with my self. I managed to lose about 70 pounds... My apnea actually got worse. I had to keep upping my pressure bit by bit. I was on strait CPAP at the time. I felt fantastic though... I mean I kept having to tweak my machine to keep the apnea under control but everything else was great because of loosing the weight. I need to do it again but keep it off this time. I got complacent and stopped the "Exercise" portion of my program so I gained about 40 of the 70 pounds back. Holding steady at the moment and just need to get off my backside and start working out again.


I think everyone is different. Most people will find loosing weight will "Help" but most likely not cure their sleep apnea.

A lot of it can depend on all the other factors that make up our lives.

If your apnea was very mild or positional in nature you may find just loosing weight could "Cure it" but you'd have to be diligent to monitor your health and sleep for any relapse down the road if you gain the weight back or if some other factor I can't think of grows worse.

If your apnea is very bad then loosing weight most likely won't "Hurt" but you'll still want to keep monitoring your treatment and watch your numbers from your machine. If you have an auto you may find you can lower the lower number a bit. If your on normal CPAP you may find you need to make minor adjustments. Always refer to your data and how you feel before making changes. Make your changes sensible and then monitor your data again for about a week to see how the numbers fall.

You can always try loosing the weight and find out.

Wish you the best.

Rest well, Gryphon

I haven't but the sleep doc said that he's primarily seen success with those who were under 35 when they lost the weight. There is no guarantee though - plenty of folks still needed their machines. But, tissue recovery is far more likely if you are younger than if you are older and 30-35 seems to be that line. Lots of people though, have found that they've been able to lower their pressure when they lost weight, so it's a good goal. But like Goofproof says, success is more a hope than a reality.

Lost 75 lbs I've kept off 6 years now. No change in my OSA. I have some structural issues that were there before the weight gain and are still there after the loss.

Some people do succeed to reduce or eliminate the need for CPAP with weight loss (I've yet to meet those "some people" though I've seen many people ASSUME they no longer have sleep apnea just because they lost weight).

But something important to consider is that the stats for MAINTAINING weight loss are pretty bad--about 20% after one year. So people chuck their CPAP because "I've lost weight" and 80% will gain all the weight back plus more within 12 months.

I lost 50 pounds and kept it off for several years. None of the symptoms of SA went away, I still was dead tired all the time, I was still depressed, I still snored like a strangled goose. I'd bet my SA was not helped by losing weight. I also had all the symptoms prior to gaining weight back when I was very active.

I do not need nor appreciate xxyzx's advice on anything medical. I know a great deal about depression and all of its effects.

xxyzx wrote:

TASmart wrote:I lost 50 pounds and kept it off for several years. None of the symptoms of SA went away, I still was dead tired all the time, I was still depressed, I still snored like a strangled goose. I'd bet my SA was not helped by losing weight. I also had all the symptoms prior to gaining weight back when I was very active.

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depression will make you tired and mess with your sleep

As will any advice you take from xxxxzx! Jim

MaxINTJ wrote:

Goofproof wrote: Plus most cahage back to their old habits, and gain it back in spades. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear, just a honest reality. Good luck losing the weight and keeping it off. Jim

Very true, it's hard, which is why I always watched my weight and nipped it in the bud before it got out of hand.

However, if people can quit smoking, or beat addiction to various other chemicals, people should be able to change their weight and maintain it. Yes, some people fall off the wagon dealing with any addiction, but it can be done!

I wish you success!

Thing with food, though, is we have to have it. With smoking, you can stay away from tobacco. Ditto for things like alcohol or drugs. Not so with food. If it was easy to lose weight, there would be no fat people.

It wasn't that long ago that fat people were the exception not the norm.