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Poor Sleep May Be Adding Inches To Your Waistline

Issue 33.17

It’s a well-established fact that if you sleep less than five hours a night, your hormones are probably out of balance and your metabolism has slowed down.  These factors reprogram your body to eat more, so you add inches to your waist.

New research from Great Britain’s Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine and the School of Food Science and Nutrition involved 1,615 people ages 19 to 65.  Those in the study getting an average of six hours of sleep each night were heavier and had waist measurements about 1.2 inches more than those getting nine hours.  The study also revealed that less sleep seems to be linked with reduced levels of HDL, the good cholesterol in the blood.

At Premier Sleep Solutions, we know that a common cause of poor sleep is a medical condition called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea repeatedly causes the body to stop breathing, and it can lead to potentially life-threatening conditions like high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Most people who suffer from sleep apnea don’t realize they have this problem. If an individual snores, and is always tired during the day, there’s a chance he or she has sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea can often be diagnosed based on medical and family histories, a physical exam and sleep study results.

Premier Sleep Solutions specializes in treating patients suffering from sleep apnea by fitting them with custom-made oral appliances.  These appliances, which are similar to bleach trays in appearance, can often be used in place of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. While CPAP machines have been used for years, recent research has shown that in many cases, custom-made oral appliances can be as effective as CPAP in treating sleep apnea.  Plus, many patients find CPAP machines to be so cumbersome that they eventually refuse to use them regularly.

Most insurance companies now cover oral appliance therapy and the oral appliances. Medicare is leading the way relative to standard of care within the industry.

For a limited time, Premier Sleep Solutions in St. George is offering free sleep consultations.  This is normally a $200 value.

Dr. Shad Morris, DMD, is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, a certified diplomate of the American Academy of Sleep and Breathing, and CEO of Premier Sleep Solutions LLC.

For more information or to schedule a sleep consultation, contact Premier Sleep Solutions in St. George at (435)319-0478 or visit www.premiersleepsolutions.com.  Premier Sleep Solutions has offices in St. George and Salt Lake City.  The St. George office address is 75 South 100 East, #1E, St. George, UT 84770. 

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