Regardless of how much information about the connection between sleep apnea and obesity may be hype or inaccurate, there is no denying that such a connection exists.  When a person is overweight and especially to the point of obesity, this extra weight they have around their neck and upper chest can cause the area of the throat to collapse, cutting off their airway.  This can happen either on the outside of the body as the fatty tissue around the neck pushes down on the airway, or inside around the throat and mouth.  This is the most common connection between sleep apnea and obesity, and is not one to be taken lightly.  Many persons who are obese, especially those who are severely obese, run the risk of actually dying due to this condition, and what is especially unfortunate is that this can happen at any age.  Some who have unfortunately died due to this connection between sleep apnea and obesity have been even in their twenties!  Certainly is a situation that should be taken very seriously.

Telling someone concerned about the connection between sleep apnea and obesity to just lose weight is a bit simplistic, but in reality, this is the only sure solution.  There are medical devices one can use such as a PPAP machine, which is like an oxygen mask worn over the face that forces air into one's lungs, but these are clumsy, uncomfortable, and not a guaranteed solution.  Some have also found that sleeping with books or blocks under the feet of the bed at the top can keep them propped up so there is less pressure on the airway, but again, this is not a guaranteed solution and may do little to help.  Anyone really concerned about the connection between sleep apnea and obesity would do well to speak to a healthcare physician to see what options there are to bring their weight under control.