Snoring may be an indicator that we are at risk for severe diseases that require us to immediately lose weight and get healthy. Recent studies have shown that many of us are at risk for metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of factors that put many of us at risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other diseases that have been directly tied to being obese or overweight.
Moreover, studies are also indicating that those of us who snore may be at a higher risk. Morning fatigue and restless sleep are common in over 70 percent of patients who present with metabolic syndrome and 80 percent in those patients that had additional difficulty falling asleep. Additionally researchers in one particular study found that of 812 patients studied over a three year period, 14 percent had developed metabolic syndrome.
Some factors that define those at risk of metabolic syndrome are waist size over 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men, elevated cholesterol and blood glucose levels and high blood pressure, anything exceeding 135 over 85.
Physical symptoms include fatigue, blurry vision and headaches. Some may also suffer from increased thirst and increased urination. Seeing your physician for a regular physical can keep you informed on where you stand for risk.
If you are at risk, all is not lost. Options to lose weight include medical weight loss supervised by a physician and regular activity to begin to lose weight. Before taking on any type of physically stressful activity it is recommended that you see a physician to make sure it is safe.
Not everyone who snores has life threatening diseases, but more studies show that poor sleep is related to maladies that affect us in very severe ways including sleep apnea and now metabolic syndrome. If you have trouble sleeping, getting to sleep, or suffer from morning fatigue it may be wise to see your physician to investigate further.