Company\Resources\Ep. 20 | Wake Up to the Vital Role of Sleep in Optimal Obesity Care

Ep. 20 | Wake Up to the Vital Role of Sleep in Optimal Obesity Care

in-the-know-with-nina

podcast

Episode Summary

In this illuminating episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley is joined by Dr. Audrey Wells, a triple-board-certified physician in Sleep Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Pediatrics, and founder of SuperSleepMD. Together, they explore how sleep—and specifically sleep disorders like sleep apnea—play a critical yet often underestimated role in managing obesity.

Dr. Wells emphasizes that weight loss alone doesn't guarantee the resolution of sleep apnea and urges providers to move beyond this common misconception. The conversation dives into how sleep affects nearly every aspect of health and how providers can use tools like body composition analysis to track changes in abdominal weight, which directly relate to sleep apnea risk. Dr. Wells advocates for consistent reassessment and a personalized, data-informed approach to sleep and weight care.

Key Takeaways

Sleep is foundational to overall health and should be prioritized in obesity care.
Losing weight does not always resolve sleep apnea—especially without targeted assessment and treatment.
Abdominal weight gain, particularly visceral adipose tissue, increases sleep apnea risk.
Body composition analysis provides better insight than scale weight alone in tracking sleep-related health changes.
Visceral fat tracking can be a motivational and effective clinical metric for improving sleep health.
Ongoing assessments are essential to ensuring that interventions are effective over time.

About Audrey Wells, MD

Dr. Audrey Wells is a sleep medicine physician and the founder and CEO of SuperSleepMD. She is triple-board-certified in Sleep Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Pediatrics, offering a unique and comprehensive approach to patient care. With a focus on evidence-based, compassionate treatment, Dr. Wells helps individuals understand and improve their sleep in connection to broader health outcomes, including metabolic health, body composition, and quality of life.