A sudden and unexplained weight gain, coupled with debilitating fatigue and cognitive fog, prompted Lex Banach, a 29-year-old content creator from Wisconsin, to seek answers. Over six months, her weight increased by approximately 3 stone (18kg), rising from 11 stone (72.6kg) to 14 stone (90.7kg), despite no changes to her diet or exercise routine. This physical transformation was accompanied by significant mood changes, uncontrollable food cravings, and a persistent feeling of exhaustion.
Despite trying various methods, including discontinuing birth control medication, Banach's symptoms persisted. Doctors initially suggested anxiety and depression, referring her for therapy. However, in 2023, a series of tests revealed the underlying cause: mild sleep apnea. This condition, estimated to affect 84 million Americans, is characterized by the repeated narrowing or collapse of the airway during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing.
Banach's sleep study indicated her breathing stopped 68 times per night, an average of once every eight minutes. Sleep apnea disrupts sleep quality, causing oxygen levels to drop and stress hormones to surge. This can strain the cardiovascular system, promote inflammation, and alter appetite-regulating hormones. Experts note that sleep apnea can increase ghrelin (which stimulates appetite) and suppress leptin (which signals fullness), leading to heightened cravings for high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods. Furthermore, the resulting daytime sleepiness makes physical activity more challenging, contributing to a sedentary lifestyle and further weight gain.
The relentless exhaustion and fragmented sleep associated with sleep apnea can also contribute to insulin resistance, making it harder for the body to process sugar and increasing fat storage. This creates a cycle where weight gain can worsen sleep apnea, and sleep apnea makes weight loss more difficult.
While obesity is a significant risk factor, sleep apnea can affect individuals of various body types. Other risk factors include being male, over 40, having a family history of the condition, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. Anatomical factors, such as a naturally narrow airway, can also play a role.
Banach speculated that a period of intense stress in 2021, involving career changes, a difficult relationship, and unresolved grief, may have contributed to her condition. Stress can profoundly impact the body's physiology.
Treatment for sleep apnea varies, with lifestyle changes like weight loss and avoiding alcohol before bed being common recommendations. For moderate to severe cases, or those with significant symptoms, a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine is considered the gold standard. This device delivers pressurized air through a mask, preventing the airway from collapsing during sleep.
Upon being prescribed a CPAP machine, Banach experienced a significant improvement in her mood and energy levels within weeks, and noticeable weight loss began within months. Within a year of using the CPAP machine, she had lost 4 stone (27kg), bringing her weight to 10 stone (63kg), and a follow-up sleep study confirmed her sleep apnea had resolved. However, after returning the machine in April 2024, her symptoms and 1.4 stone (9kg) of weight gain returned by May 2025. Without health insurance, Banach is currently attempting to manage her symptoms through exercise, meditation, yoga, and a strict sleep routine, while seeking an affordable CPAP alternative.