Obesity Surgery Can Improve Sleep And Reduce Snoring, US And Spanish Studies Conclude

Two studies presented at the annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) in Stockholm have revealed that obesity surgery (known to specialists as bariatric surgery) may have important advantages beyond its primary objective of major weight loss.It can significantly reduce, or even eliminate, interruptions to breathing (apnoea) during sleep. Sleep apnoea can cause snoring and is a recognised risk factor for cardiovascular disease.For related information on obesity surgery and snoring, visit:

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Severe or morbid obesity is a condition that is difficult to treat through exercise and diet. Therefore, gastrointestinal surgery or bariatric surgery is the best option for morbidly obese people who cannot lose weight by traditional means.

Bariatric surgery types:

The surgery can be performed in three ways: restrictive, malabsorptive and combined restrictive/malabsorptive. In restrictive type bariatric surgery, weight loss by food intake restriction is done by creating a narrow passage from the upper part of the stomach into the large lower part.

This process reduces the amount of food the stomach can hold and slows the passage of food through the stomach.

In Malabsorptive bariatric surgery, food intake is not limited, but instead most of the small intestine is excluded from the digestive tract so fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed. This type of surgery is not preferred because it can result in nutritional deficiency. Combined bariatric surgery uses restriction of the stomach and a partial bypass of the small intestine.

Majority of people with obesity suffer from sleep problems. The main sleep problems obese people suffer are sleep apnea and snoring. Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing stops during sleep for few seconds. Due to the interruption in breathing, you have to wake up constantly to restore your breathe. Therefore, you will have great trouble in getting a restful night sleep. Sleep apnea can cause snoring [Bariatric surgery for sleep apnea sufferers].

Sleep apnea can cause death in three ways: by nocturnal breathing due to deprivation in oxygen, by the strain on the heart, and by accidents caused due to daytime sleepiness.

Although normal people can get sleep apnea, obesity increases the risk further [Obesity and sleep apnea]. People who have fat stored in their necks are at particular risk.

Right after the bariatric surgery, people lose weight quickly and continue to lose for eighteen to twenty four months after the surgery. Some patients regain 5 to 10 percent of the weight they lost, but many of them maintain the weight loss of 100 pounds.

Bariatric surgery reduces the body’s weight including the fat around the tongue and neck. Therefore, it can reduce or eliminate the breathing interruptions during sleep. Weight reduction is essential treatment for obese people who have sleep apnea and snoring.