Does Sleep Loss Mean Weight Gain?
By Carolyn Richardson
As the ever-increasing use of Facebook, Twitter, smartphones, video games and TV allows for engagement around the clock, are you getting less shuteye than you used to? You’re not alone. The National Sleep Foundation’s Annual Sleep in America Poll found that 60% of Americans between the age of 13 and 64 say they experience a sleep problem every night or almost every night. Although it seems improbable that sleep has anything to do with your weight, a number of studies show that a lack of sleep could indeed lead to weight gain.
Lack of Zzzz’s Slows Metabolism
A small study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a lack of sleep slows metabolism. Led by Dr. Christian Benedict of the Uppsala, University in Sweden, healthy men were examined after a good night’s sleep compared to a night of continuous wakefulness. The results showed a reduction in energy expenditure by 5 to 20% in participants as well as elevated levels of ghrelin, a hormone that promotes hunger, and blood sugar after sleep deprivation. With the study only examining one night of sleep deprivation, it raises the question of how metabolism is affected over time by a lack of sleep.
Isn’t It Your Bedtime?
A study by researchers at New Zealand’s University of Otago involving more than 200 children monitored the sleep patterns of children between ages 3 and 7. Researchers estimated the amount of sleep the children were getting each night with their BMIs. The results: Each additional hour of sleep at ages 3 and 5 was associated with a reduction in BMI of 48 points, and a reduced risk of being over weight by about 40 points at age seven. Even after adjusting for initial weight status and other confounding factors, the increased risk for becoming overweight due to lack of sleep held. The research team, including Rachel W Taylor, Karitane research associate professor of early childhood obesity, found the difference in BMI was due to increased fat mass index, not lean body mass. A similar study conducted on adults goes a step further by relating fat loss to sleep or the lack their of.
Sleep and Lose More Fat
Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a study by the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that, regardless of their diet and exercise regimen, dieters lost more fat when they got more sleep. The study placed obese and overweight participants in two groups, one with 5.5 hours of sleep and one which got 8.5 hours of sleep over a 14-day span. With the same exercise and diet during that time, those with more sleep lost more than 50% of their weight from fat, while the group with 5.5 hours of sleep saw only a 25% fat loss. Despite consistent evidence, small-scale studies do not offer definitive or causative indicators as to why this is, so it’s incumbent on Americans to make sleep a priority.
Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep
An alarming 95% of those surveyed by The National Sleep Foundation admitted to using technology in the hour before going to sleep a few nights a week, a statistic that could explain one reason for sleep deprivation in America. Charles Czeisler, PhD, MD, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital had this to say, "Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour—making it more difficult to fall asleep." In addition to avoiding technology in that golden hour before going to sleep, tips from the National Institutes of Health’s Guide to Healthy Sleep include avoiding the following: caffeine and nicotine, large meals and beverages late at night, and naps after 3 p.m. On the other hand, they encourage unwinding before bedtime, taking a hot bath, exercising daily and sticking to a sleep schedule.
Your thoughts…
How well do you sleep? Have seen a change in your sleeping habits during weight loss or weight gain?
Comments
I feel that I am sleep for 6 to 8 hours, but I wake up tired and feel tired all day. I do drink a lot of diet coke throughout the day and I am trying to cut back/off to see if that helps.
I have lost 122 lbs. so far and I really would like to lose about 5 more to "be safe". I'm stalled for over a month now, and I think my body is just "done" already. I NEVER sleep well. Although I have tons of energy during the day, I never get a really restful night because I have to get up and "P" at least 3 times a night. (all that life giving H2o during the day that's reccomended for weight loss by the "experts"). 
I became extremely depressed and increased my sleep from 6 hours a day/night to 14. I went from 135lbs to 115lbs in 2 months. Plain and simple.. when you sleep, you burn calories and are not stuffing your face. You shouldn't eat 3 hours before bedtime anyway ;)
philfan1 - you should try spacing your water out more during the day so that you're not drinking it all at once. It will give your body more time to absorb the water so it doesn't just go right through you, causing you to get up and go to the bathroom so frequently.
Original Post by: philfan1I have lost 122 lbs. so far and I really would like to lose about 5 more to "be safe". I'm stalled for over a month now, and I think my body is just "done" already. I NEVER sleep well. Although I have tons of energy during the day, I never get a really restful night because I have to get up and "P" at least 3 times a night. (all that life giving H2o during the day that's reccomended for weight loss by the "experts").
philfan1 - you should try spacing your water out more during the day so that you're not drinking it all at once. It will give your body more time to absorb the water so it doesn't just go right through you, causing you to get up and go to the bathroom so frequently.
I stop taking in liquid by 6p.m. every day and I still "P" several times a night. As far as sleeping 14 hrs. a day, I'd have to take sleeping pills and wear Depends all night to pull that one off.
Original Post by: philfan1I stop taking in liquid by 6p.m. every day and I still "P" several times a night. As far as sleeping 14 hrs. a day, I'd have to take sleeping pills and wear Depends all night to pull that one off.
There's someone serious about his sleep!! Too funny
Any of you have chronic intractable pain?
I have 3 health issues that cause pain and then several other issues that make life challenging.
I have nights when I can't sleep much at all, nights when I am up and down all night and then finally I'll get so wiped out I finally sleep continuously day or night for 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours....even up to 12 hours, 24 hours (getting up several times for fluids and to hit the bathroom)....
The only way I can sometimes sleep is to take L-trophan and/or muscle relaxants 1-3 hours before getting to sleep and usually try to do this only when I have to get up and do something during the day (due to my health I haven't held a job since 1990).
I am a healthy size 6-8, with good BMI and I try to do serious amateur ballroom dancing 1 to 4 days a week (though due to my health often have to cancel; and sometimes at the very last minute). Being physically active helps with preventing and stalling muscle atrophy; even though I have osteoporosis with no family history beginning even before turning 50 (due to periods of inactivity due to unrelieved or undermedicated pain).
I block out total light with blackout fabric, read in bed an hour or so before bedtime.....
Before my pain became severe/suicidal level and constant, I would fall asleep easily and usually within 10-20 minutes.....
I am undermedicated for my pain due to our system's poor treatment of those of us with chronic pain. My doctor refuses to increase my medication; even with my dancing and desire to function as fully as possible....
Anyone know of a chronic pain doctor (who treats with strong pain meds) in the Washington, DC/Baltimore, MD/Northern VA area or a city within a 250-500 miles away (New York City, Philadelphia, etc.). I had tried over 55 different medications, modalities and treatments at a cost out of pocket after good insurance of over $250,000 (and it destroyed a 20 year old marriage as he could no longer stay married to someone with my "limitations")....
I weigh myself daily in the mornings. Sometimes I will take a measurement before bed and I always end up at minimum 2lbs lighter in the morning than before I went to bed. Sometimes I can see my weight drop 5lbs after sleeping. It is just amazing how much energy you can burn while sleeping. Yeah, most of that loss is water through breathing and urinating (usually two bathroom breaks before the morning measurement), but I know some of it has to be fat loss. I have lost 100lbs in the last year and the big drops I have seen always come after sleeping.
My advice even if you are not on a low carb diet is to not eat any carbs at all in the hours before bed. Sleeping is the time where you burn the most fat as energy.
Original Post by: gcousinsI weigh myself daily in the mornings. Sometimes I will take a measurement before bed and I always end up at minimum 2lbs lighter in the morning than before I went to bed. Sometimes I can see my weight drop 5lbs after sleeping. It is just amazing how much energy you can burn while sleeping. Yeah, most of that loss is water through breathing and urinating (usually two bathroom breaks before the morning measurement), but I know some of it has to be fat loss. I have lost 100lbs in the last year and the big drops I have seen always come after sleeping.
My advice even if you are not on a low carb diet is to not eat any carbs at all in the hours before bed. Sleeping is the time where you burn the most fat as energy.
Congratulations on losing so much weight. I have lost 35 but have stalled out for the past year even though I have increased exercise. I am not training for a 1/2 marathon and the weight has started to come off again. I do have trouble sleeping usually at least one night per week. I find if I stay up past a certain time, I can not fall asleep and get no rest that night.
Here's how I started getting better sleep:
Four weeks ago I stopped drinking my 2 cups of coffee every morning to help level out my blood sugar, and I cut out the caffeine I'd have around 5pm to get me boosted for my workout later that night.
Since then, I fall asleep easily at my bedtime, when before it would take me 20 to 60 minutes to actually fall asleep after turning out the lights.
I really enjoy drinking coffee, but I also enjoy the consistent energy levels I have from getting a good amount of sleep (7.5 hrs/night), and I don't need the pick-me-up in the early evening anymore.
I also feel ready to wake up when I'm supposed to, instead of lolling around in bed for another 30 mins because I'm still tired.
I am definitely not saying everyone should give up drinking coffee. Coffee has so many excellent health benefits! But if you do have problems sleeping at night, it may be caffeine related. You won't know until you try!
Original Post by: lfidler613Original Post by: gcousinsI weigh myself daily in the mornings. Sometimes I will take a measurement before bed and I always end up at minimum 2lbs lighter in the morning than before I went to bed. Sometimes I can see my weight drop 5lbs after sleeping. It is just amazing how much energy you can burn while sleeping. Yeah, most of that loss is water through breathing and urinating (usually two bathroom breaks before the morning measurement), but I know some of it has to be fat loss. I have lost 100lbs in the last year and the big drops I have seen always come after sleeping.
My advice even if you are not on a low carb diet is to not eat any carbs at all in the hours before bed. Sleeping is the time where you burn the most fat as energy.
Congratulations on losing so much weight. I have lost 35 but have stalled out for the past year even though I have increased exercise. I am not training for a 1/2 marathon and the weight has started to come off again. I do have trouble sleeping usually at least one night per week. I find if I stay up past a certain time, I can not fall asleep and get no rest that night.
Meant to say, "now" training.... not "not" Last night was a night in which I got no sleep. It shows!!!
I only weigh myself occasionally and always just in the AM upon awakening and with no clothes on after having urinating.....so I have a consistent "weight".... I do have an apt every 90 days with my doctor and get weighed there and that weight is always 3 to 6 lbs heavier at the end of the day; with clothes on and not having urinating in an hour or so....
I weighed 300 lbs about 30 years ago and I have kept the weight off ever since....losing initally to a size 12/14 and now have lost another 20+ lbs about 2+ years ago so now am a 6/8 with 22 to 24 BMI....
I primarily eat only carbs (cream of wheat, oatmeal, cereals, fruits, vegies...plus low and non-fat dairy)....
Actually I find clothes....like a tight dress or jeans.....a much better "read" on where I stand than jumping on an off the scale all day and night.....
*sigh* I dropped 7 lb in the past 8 weeks... But last week and this week I am not getting enough sleep, and I have now gained THREE POUNDS again in THREE DAYS, despite measuring my food intake AND completing two spin classes during that time. Yesterday I started what will be a 6-day, 12+hrs/day work-week, and I am already operating under a sleep deficit because instead of sleeping in both days of the weekend to make up for last week, I chose to spend time with my parents on Sunday and that required getting up early. (And no, going to bed earlier Sunday night was NOT an option, given the weekend chores that had backed up due to spending most of the day with parents.)
Saturday - Operating on 14 hours of sleep. Awesome. Ate 2603 but did a spin class, the week's grocery shopping by myself (i.e. heavy bags), and cooked dinner (cooking took an hour). But then we stayed up later, and I only got 8 hours of sleep that night.
Sunday - NO bloody EXERCISE. Spending time with parents ALWAYS kills my day, because they schedule everything from mid-morning to about 7pm at night. I can never bring myself to exercise after 7pm on a Sunday--not with chores to do and work looming on the horizon. Ate 2058cal. Shouldn't be weight gain, right?????
Monday - Ate 1802cal but walked a LOT at work and did a spin class AND grocery shopping AND cooked dinner. I weighed myself right after the spin class, with just a towel around me, and I'd gained THREE BLOODY POUNDS IN THREE DAYS.
I don't understand how this is even possible. What I've learned from this: unless I stop working and become a hot-house plant with 12 hours of sleep a day, apparently I am going to weigh a metric lard-ton forever. Anyone willing to sponsor me so I can stop working?
....On a general note, I don't think technology is to blame for Americans' sleep deficit. I believe is is increased work stress, and also increased work hours. We work more hours than past generations, because all of us are killing ourselves to have "job security" in this employers' market. But then we get home and desperately need to unwind, and so stay up too late to get in those few precious hours of relaxation/chores/cooking/exercise. Personally, I can't sleep if I've done nothing but exercise, chores and cooking dinner before I have to go to bed.
I have two daughters under 2. My oldest usually sleeps through the night, but sometimes wakes because of a bad dream. She won't go back to sleep unless she is right beside me. My youngest is 9 months, still wakes 4 times a night and is now teething. Despite my lack of sleep I have still managed to lose 30 lbs in a little over 3 months. Some nights I'm lucky if I sleep 5 hours, so tell me how I'm suppose to get a good night sleep if my children are waking me up constantly? I have no help at night. My boyfriend has to get up at 5am to go to work so I would never ask him for any help. I don't take naps during the day at all. I use their naptimes to workout. Looks like I just have to deal with no sleep and hope the weight continues to come off.
I get about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. I find that I consistantly lose weight by eating early light dinners around 5pm to 6pm. My biggest meal is breakfast and then my meals tapper off throughout the day. Sleep for me is big, I've lost 15lbs so far and would like to lose another 30lbs, but am for the most part content with where I'm at now.
i know when i dont sleep well, i dont feel like doing anything the next day. i am lazy, dont exercise, and dont eat very well either. all are contributing factors to weight gain :(
It's ironic that this story was published at 6:00am, the same time I try to start a workout a few times a week. But with three very young kids, sleep is at a premium, so I often end up working out during my lunch hour in order to catch a few more Z's.
I generally get no more than 4-6 hours sleep per night and I have lost 58lbs in the past 9-10 months. Lately I am getting less and less sleep (I have 2 young children and run my own business from home) and the weight is literally falling off me at the mo. ALthough I do have to admit it takes a lot more willpower when I am tired or I find myself raiding the biscuit cupboard :|
I used to watch TV in bed, but I switched to just listening to the radio and it has made it much easier to fall asleep.
Time to read "Lights Out" by T.S. Wiley. The 24/7 society has turned us into fat, diseased losers.
I did rotating seven day shifts for 10 years, and though I was over weight when I started, I definately did not lose either. Even with working in a glass factory with days in summer around +110 degrees. As I get older i have days where I wake up ready to go with 6-7 hours of sleep, and some days I sleep 10 hrs. I now guage it this way, if I wake up and am alert I will get up, if I feel sleepy I will sleep more. As with weight loss, a good amount in wisdom is learning to listen to your body. Knowing when you are hungry and not craving, knowing when you are sleepy and not staying up till you are exhausted.
Have you considered that your children may be getting more sleep than a 'nap'? ... An hour nap is all they need.... Then run the kids thru excercise with you, so it teaches THEM to stay slim & active ... Have them run circles, jump rope, play tag, and get exhausted, so they'll sleep thru the night ... Think of all the extra calories you will burn playing with kids.... and for that specialized toning, free weights or meditative yoga, you have that precious hour ... Been there, done that ... Keep us posted
my oldest isnt even 2 yet. she only sleeps an hour during th day and sleeps all night for 10 hours or so. it's my 9 month old that still takes 2 naps a day and doesn't sleep all night. she is the one that keeps me up all night. i think so many parents forget how hard the first year is after it passes by. how am i suppose to get my 9 month old to get up and run around with me? neither of them understand quite yet what mommy is doing. it will be different when they get older but as of now i'm stuck!
I've always had a lot of trouble sleeping. The rare time I manage *gasp* to sleep right through a night without a p break, bored cat, restless husband, raccoon fight is maybe once every six months - I fantasise fondly about it for months afterward because it really does feel good.
However, I've been insomniac to a mild degree since age 11 or 12. Getting a nice 8-10 hours a night is not something I can achieve by just "go to bed earlier, idiot!" - usually just increases my squirming around time.
However, I have improved from my teens, when my average night was 4.5 - 6 hours, to probably around seven hours a night. Since my teens, I've also gained 20kg (about 45lb for the imperial people), despite having started martial arts at 18.
So ... would love more sleep and less weight. Just not sure in my case that they're reliably connected (unfortunately).
Like you sumo, I'm an insominac since about 12 ... I don't nap during daytime... At night, my body wants to sleep, my MIND wants to keep playing (I might miss something)... Reading a book each night, helps detour the brain from worries of the day, so I look forward to that novel each night ... Writing down all the "things to do" in a BIG page spiral notebook helps... Once written on the 'list', I allow myself to forget the tasks till the next morning... Learning process.... Occasionally I wake in the early mornings around 2 am, so I grab the book again ... Don't lay in bed & wrestle with yourself, worse thing to do, for trying to peacefully sleep again
My overall energy level has gotten really horrible over the past few years (as my weight has climbed -- go figure), so I started working with my doctor to find the cause. After blood tests all came back normal, I finally had a sleep study done.
It turns out that I have severe obstructive sleep apnea -- my breathing was stopping 51 times/hr and my blood oxygen level dropping to 84% while I slept. No wonder I felt exhausted each morning no matter how long I slept!
Haven't gotten the CPAP yet, but am hopeful that will help my overall energy level. At the same time, I'm not too hopeful that this will magically make weight loss any easier but hopefully won't hinder it.
I definitely agree that getting more sleep increases weight loss. First of all you're sleeping, therefore you cannot eat, automatically reducing calorie intake. Also, when I do not get enough sleep I'm more irritable/moody. As an emotional eater this can be detrimental to my diet, as I'm trying to comfort my anger/sadness with food rather than addressing the problem of lack of sleep. Another benefit of more sleep is more energy during my workouts :) It's a pleasant circle in that I can put forth more effort during my workout because of more sleep and the energy expended during my workout causes me to have a better night's sleep :)
I went crazy for years because I could not get enogh sleep, had to ee every night several times, and could not control my cravings and could not lose weight.
FINALLY found out those are symptoms of a sleep disorder.
Even though I did not snore at night, I have sleep apnea. I am being treated with a CPAP machine (IT is small, quiet, has a built in humidifier, and I feel better that I can ever remember.
I have lost 20 pounds in 3 months, even though I am "cheating" like crazy and have other health problems that severely limit my exercise.
Go to a doctor! I find that D.O 's are more likely to 1. Listen, 2. Believe you and 3. Treat wholelistically, instead of blowing you off with Stock phrases like "you just need will power"
Sadly, due to the way the school system in my state works, during the school year I get maybe 7 hours if I'm lucky. 6 hours, usually, is a good night, and I have become dependent, maybe not to an addicting degree, on coffee to help me in the morning, else I'll simply drop dead. I suppose partly I get little sleep because of procrastinating, but sadly it is the amount of homework and other work that needs doing that keeps me up late. This article comes somewhat as a shock for me, but also it is not very surprising. I'm not overweight, but my BMI is 24, although I don't look fat from the outside. However, during my final upcoming school year, I'm going to make an effort to get at least 8 hours a night. Fortunately it's the summer, and 10 hours is easy.
You must know that muscle weighs more than fat, a lot more, so as you get fitter and more toned and reach your ideal body weight you should gain weight but look slimmer/toned!
The article is interesting. Since being promoted a bit over a year ago I have gained 20-30 pounds. I am on call 24/7/365 and the phone goes off at all hours. It is very unpredictable; some nights I might get up to 6 hours of sleep, while others I might be awakened every two hours or receive a call after an hour or so of sleep that keeps me up for several hours. On the nights that no one calls I wake up to phones that aren't ringing in fear I may have missed a call. I have given up on even trying to lose weight and am about to give up on not gaining it because even if I do behave myself for a week or two the scale doesn't budge. So maybe there is something to the idea that lack of sleep affects body weight.
Original Post by: oldplasticI went crazy for years because I could not get enogh sleep, had to ee every night several times, and could not control my cravings and could not lose weight.
FINALLY found out those are symptoms of a sleep disorder.
Even though I did not snore at night, I have sleep apnea. I am being treated with a CPAP machine (IT is small, quiet, has a built in humidifier, and I feel better that I can ever remember.
I have lost 20 pounds in 3 months, even though I am "cheating" like crazy and have other health problems that severely limit my exercise.
Go to a doctor! I find that D.O 's are more likely to 1. Listen, 2. Believe you and 3. Treat wholelistically, instead of blowing you off with Stock phrases like "you just need will power"
Your case sounds a lot like mine...... I get bronchitis once or twice a year, and snore for months afterward. I also snore if pollen counts are up. I am now strongly considering going to see a doctor. My coworkers all seem much more functional than me when we all get 4-5 hours of sleep a night. I feel like my brain has slowed way down compared to theirs, not because I am stupid but because I feel wrapped in a fog, like I'm daydreaming all the time.
I have been working out like a FIEND for TWO YEARS, counting calories (measuring/weighing food), and should have a good figure by now, but I don't. One of those years I was unemployed and suffered severe depression and insomnia due to stress, despite working out for 1-2 hours a day. This year I'm not depressed or insomniac, but am working long, long hours and working out 1-1.5 hours a day (though I am eating healthier to make up for less exercise). The scale is barely budging, and I often find that on spin class days I am gunning it but also struggling with dizziness from being tired. I'm building lots of muscle, at least...
Like you, I struggle constantly with inexplicable cravings for fatty foods. Not sugar, but french fries and cheese, specifically. I manage to only give in once a week--my "cheat" day, on which I get those french fries on my way to spin, and enjoy those extra 400 calories. Usually cravings go away if one rarely gives in to them, but for me every day the hunger pangs are awful. I am eating enough calories and protein and avoiding sugar (I hate sweets), but get awful "hunger panic" cravings specifically for fried food. I have not, in two years of trying, found a way to fix these cravings. Instead I just suffer through them, and am miserable for 2-3 hours every day.
I am not sure wearing a machine at night would make it any better for me, though... My mother uses a bipap machine and it has a mask over her nose and mouth, which she says is annoying, and she can't roll around in her sleep since she's attached to a hose. The thought of having to wear a machine to bed, every night for the rest of my life is horrifying to me, especially when I am only 28 and that seems way too young to have "unsexy" health problems like having to be hooked up to a machine in bed. I do not have my mother's health problems, so I wouldn't need a bi-pap, but isn't a c-pap just as uncomfortable?
Honestly, the thought of having to wear a mask and a hose to bed seems just as unsexy to me as being fat. I don't want to turn into "that wife" at age 28, who has health problems like an old woman and makes her husband feel like he's sleeping in a hospital bed. Did your doctor suggest any other holistic treatments for sleep apnea--ones that don't involve hardware? Herbal supplements? I use nose strips only occasionally, since they are expensive, but I couldn't tell you if they actually helped because I can't tell if I'm tired from still breathing weird or from a massive sleep deficit.
I agree with everyone here who says that working long hours contributes to lack of sleep and weight gain. I might add that COMMUTING can be a killer, too -- when you work 9 to 5, but it takes an hour to get to work, everything gets pushed back, and sleep suffers. I recently returned to school after working a job with crazy hours and a long commute, and the difference it's made in my sleep and my eating habits is amazing. I shudder to think what will happen when I get back into the workforce. :(
Now soapbox time: If America is really worried about its obesity problem, it will address its work problem. We work too much, and it's killing us. /end rant.
Also, re electronics keeping you up at night: I know the best thing is to not be on your computer before bedtime at all, but I end up bringing my laptop to bed every once in a while. *Hangs head.* I did download a free program called flux (http://stereopsis.com/flux/) that changes the quality of the light coming from your computer, though, and it has helped a lot. Basically it makes the light more yellow, rather than white/blue? And it changes throughout the day according to the amount of sunlight (so it gets darker during sunset, etc.). I think it's helped me, although I guess it could be all in my head. Still, it doesn't seem to affect my being able to fall asleep, so that's something (although sometimes seeing the brightness of the computer screen go down during sunset makes me sleepy).
Original Post by: yamisuiOriginal Post by: oldplasticI went crazy for years because I could not get enogh sleep, had to ee every night several times, and could not control my cravings and could not lose weight.
FINALLY found out those are symptoms of a sleep disorder.
Even though I did not snore at night, I have sleep apnea. I am being treated with a CPAP machine (IT is small, quiet, has a built in humidifier, and I feel better that I can ever remember.
I have lost 20 pounds in 3 months, even though I am "cheating" like crazy and have other health problems that severely limit my exercise.
Go to a doctor! I find that D.O 's are more likely to 1. Listen, 2. Believe you and 3. Treat wholelistically, instead of blowing you off with Stock phrases like "you just need will power"
Your case sounds a lot like mine...... I get bronchitis once or twice a year, and snore for months afterward. I also snore if pollen counts are up. I am now strongly considering going to see a doctor. My coworkers all seem much more functional than me when we all get 4-5 hours of sleep a night. I feel like my brain has slowed way down compared to theirs, not because I am stupid but because I feel wrapped in a fog, like I'm daydreaming all the time.
I have been working out like a FIEND for TWO YEARS, counting calories (measuring/weighing food), and should have a good figure by now, but I don't. One of those years I was unemployed and suffered severe depression and insomnia due to stress, despite working out for 1-2 hours a day. This year I'm not depressed or insomniac, but am working long, long hours and working out 1-1.5 hours a day (though I am eating healthier to make up for less exercise). The scale is barely budging, and I often find that on spin class days I am gunning it but also struggling with dizziness from being tired. I'm building lots of muscle, at least...
Like you, I struggle constantly with inexplicable cravings for fatty foods. Not sugar, but french fries and cheese, specifically. I manage to only give in once a week--my "cheat" day, on which I get those french fries on my way to spin, and enjoy those extra 400 calories. Usually cravings go away if one rarely gives in to them, but for me every day the hunger pangs are awful. I am eating enough calories and protein and avoiding sugar (I hate sweets), but get awful "hunger panic" cravings specifically for fried food. I have not, in two years of trying, found a way to fix these cravings. Instead I just suffer through them, and am miserable for 2-3 hours every day.
I am not sure wearing a machine at night would make it any better for me, though... My mother uses a bipap machine and it has a mask over her nose and mouth, which she says is annoying, and she can't roll around in her sleep since she's attached to a hose. The thought of having to wear a machine to bed, every night for the rest of my life is horrifying to me, especially when I am only 28 and that seems way too young to have "unsexy" health problems like having to be hooked up to a machine in bed. I do not have my mother's health problems, so I wouldn't need a bi-pap, but isn't a c-pap just as uncomfortable?
Honestly, the thought of having to wear a mask and a hose to bed seems just as unsexy to me as being fat. I don't want to turn into "that wife" at age 28, who has health problems like an old woman and makes her husband feel like he's sleeping in a hospital bed. Did your doctor suggest any other holistic treatments for sleep apnea--ones that don't involve hardware? Herbal supplements? I use nose strips only occasionally, since they are expensive, but I couldn't tell you if they actually helped because I can't tell if I'm tired from still breathing weird or from a massive sleep deficit.
Someone either has sleep apnea or they don't and the only real way to tell is by having a sleep study done -- it's not really that big a deal, but I know it sounds like it (I refused for over 3 years).
I'm also not thrilled about the idea of a hose connected to my face, but when I found out that my breathing stopped 51 times an hour and my blood oxygen level was falling to 84% (90% is where they give you an oxygen mask while you're awake) I realized there are worse things.. like stroke, heart attack, etc.
BTW, BiPAP is just a CPAP machine with a different pressure level for inhaling and exhaling. You probably couldn't tell one from the other just by looking.
As far as alternatives, there are oral appliances that either move your lower jaw slightly out to open your airway, or keep your tongue from falling back into your throat and blocking your airway.
There are a couple of surgical procedures, one that works for a small percentage (UPPP) with particular issues and another extremely drastic one where they break bones in your jaw and cheeks (Stanford Protocol?) and lengthen them.
Also, I have a friend that swears that learning to circular breath on the didgeridoo and playing it for an hour a day cured his sleep apnea, but I wouldn't want to bet my life on that.
Original Post by: yamisui*sigh* I dropped 7 lb in the past 8 weeks... But last week and this week I am not getting enough sleep, and I have now gained THREE POUNDS again in THREE DAYS, despite measuring my food intake AND completing two spin classes during that time. Yesterday I started what will be a 6-day, 12+hrs/day work-week, and I am already operating under a sleep deficit because instead of sleeping in both days of the weekend to make up for last week, I chose to spend time with my parents on Sunday and that required getting up early. (And no, going to bed earlier Sunday night was NOT an option, given the weekend chores that had backed up due to spending most of the day with parents.)
Saturday - Operating on 14 hours of sleep. Awesome. Ate 2603 but did a spin class, the week's grocery shopping by myself (i.e. heavy bags), and cooked dinner (cooking took an hour). But then we stayed up later, and I only got 8 hours of sleep that night.
Sunday - NO bloody EXERCISE. Spending time with parents ALWAYS kills my day, because they schedule everything from mid-morning to about 7pm at night. I can never bring myself to exercise after 7pm on a Sunday--not with chores to do and work looming on the horizon. Ate 2058cal. Shouldn't be weight gain, right?????
Monday - Ate 1802cal but walked a LOT at work and did a spin class AND grocery shopping AND cooked dinner. I weighed myself right after the spin class, with just a towel around me, and I'd gained THREE BLOODY POUNDS IN THREE DAYS.
I don't understand how this is even possible. What I've learned from this: unless I stop working and become a hot-house plant with 12 hours of sleep a day, apparently I am going to weigh a metric lard-ton forever. Anyone willing to sponsor me so I can stop working?
....On a general note, I don't think technology is to blame for Americans' sleep deficit. I believe is is increased work stress, and also increased work hours. We work more hours than past generations, because all of us are killing ourselves to have "job security" in this employers' market. But then we get home and desperately need to unwind, and so stay up too late to get in those few precious hours of relaxation/chores/cooking/exercise. Personally, I can't sleep if I've done nothing but exercise, chores and cooking dinner before I have to go to bed.
I blame the commute to work for ruining our diets, exercise plans, and waists. I am fortunate enough to be able to walk to work, therefore can be on the treadmill at my building's gym by 5:20 after work, but many people I work with in downtown Chicago have hours of commutes everyday. Who could possibly not be stressed, get everything done at home, eat, work out, and get enough sleep? It is a ridiculous expectation!
The new CPC mask I have is neither face mask nor cannula, but a small "nose mask'.
Please do not let the early machines get you hung up.
Also, getting an expert to to fit the mask is important. My sleep doctor will only work with one preovider of the masks for the fitting appointment, because the on he uses will do it right, There is also a trial period of like 30 days to switch out a mask that isnot comfortable for one that is,.
The original masks were designed for men, and a lot of omen stopped using the Cpaps because the masks were so uncomforatle, and left lines and wrinkles on their faces.
This new one, Designed for women,barely touches my face, and the tube is clips upard. By hanging the tube over the headboard, or at least over the head of the bed, I can turn from side to side all night long, and never notice the mask.
OK, besides weight gain, increased chances of car wrecks, poor healing (yu have to get into deep sleep for you body to heal...etc
HOW bout this motivation...
Chronic problems breathing in your sleep, lead to oxygen not getting to your brain, night after night, year after year,
That can couse cumulative damage that causes Dementia.
Right now, I have a friend who does not realize how confused she has become, and who keeps cancelling treatment for her sleep breathing problems. Meawhile she is having fender benders she blames on everything else, hile her friends can that she is just driving into things, and forgetting what she just said, etc.
Well, while all this makes sense...I choose less sleep and working out. If I don't workout I'm sure to gain weight. It has always been the case with me. I'm sure my situation is different than many. I work 12 hour night shifts, 13 hours with drive time. I go to bed around 8am and get up by 2pm. This is to ensure I get a 45min to an hour workout in before my shift, plus walk my dogs then I need time to get ready and get to work...I shove my whole life, friends, family, relationship, errands, chores etc into my days off because I'm unable to do so during week nights. So weekends unless I walk the dogs very late, I often don't get to work out. I also switch from nights back to days on my days off so I can be some what "normal" and see people, do things. I know the stress on my body is causing my weight problems and yes, I will try to get a new job, but until then I think I have to get less sleep. 
I find as I get older I have more trouble falling and staying asleep. Yoga and meditation definitely help. Although you have to be careful not to do certain yoga poses too close to your bedtime - particularly those that cause large, sudden increases of bloodflow to the brain. I find a minimum of 20 minutes meditation once or twice daily work well for me.
As far as weighing myself (I've read some of you do this daily), I weigh myself no more often than once or twice per month. I tried daily weights at one time and it really freaked me out 
. Our weight normally fluctuates up and down from day to day (due to fluid shifts,etc). I'm good as long as I have a downward trend. More important for me is feeling good and my clothes fitting well 
I resisted getting a sleep study for several years but finally decided to get one in January after my new doctor mentioned that loss of sleep can cause your blood pressure to go up and mine was. I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea (stopping 98 times an hour and my oxygen level was down to 50%.) After trying out several masks I got fitted with nose buds which I absolutely love. I can sleep on my side with no problems. I get up to 8.5 hrs of sleep a night and feel great. I am no longer foggy or moody. And I have begun to lose weight at a rate that I find to be wonderful considering I am post menopausal.
Original Post by: itsanewlifeformeI resisted getting a sleep study for several years but finally decided to get one in January after my new doctor mentioned that loss of sleep can cause your blood pressure to go up and mine was. I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea (stopping 98 times an hour and my oxygen level was down to 50%.) After trying out several masks I got fitted with nose buds which I absolutely love. I can sleep on my side with no problems. I get up to 8.5 hrs of sleep a night and feel great. I am no longer foggy or moody. And I have begun to lose weight at a rate that I find to be wonderful considering I am post menopausal.
Good for you! I have just started using a CPAP as well and feel much better -- in addition to the scary blood oxygen level, my doctor explained that overcoming the breathing stoppage during sleep causes a tremendous strain on the heart & lungs as well as siphoning stomach acid up into the esophagus, causing all kinds of problems.
I can't say I love the CPAP, but I feel like refusing to use it would be reducing years from my life and greatly damaging the quality of my life, so it's worth it.
I wish I could use the 'nasal pillow' type mask you have, which is really small and unobtrusive, but apparently I breath through my mouth too much and have to wear a full face mask -- still, I can sleep on my side as well and am adapting.
BTW, there are a number of good discussion groups about sleep apnea and CPAP issues, like http://talkaboutsleep.com and http://ihatecpap.com
You may want to see a medical professional concerning the p'ing 3 times per night. This doesn't sound healthy and is likely unrelated to you sleep issues. Good luck - wishing you the best.
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While this does make a lot of sense, I feel more energized when I break up my sleep, by sleeping 6.5 hrs and then taking a nap of 2 hrs before I go to work; however I also work a grave yard shift. As for not using electronics 1 hr before you go to sleep, I don't know anyone who isn't on the comp or watching the TV before they go to sleep. I have always found it easier to fall asleep after or during watching TV.