The Destructive Cycle of Shift Work, Weight Gain, and Sleep Apnea May 21, 2025 If you’re a shift worker struggling with your weight or feeling constantly exhausted, you’re not alone. What many people don’t realise is that shift work, weight gain, and sleep apnea can form a three-way cycle that’s not only frustrating but can seriously impact your long-term health. Let’s start with shift work. Working odd hours—whether it’s night shifts, rotating rosters, or early starts—throws off your natural sleep-wake cycle, also known as your circadian rhythm. When this rhythm is disrupted, your body produces more cortisol (the stress hormone), and less leptin (which helps you feel full). The result? You crave high-calorie, carb-heavy foods at odd hours, and your body is more likely to store fat, especially around the waist.1 Over time, this can lead to weight gain and a rising BMI—which increases your risk for a range of health issues, including sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea.2 Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep with characteristic symptoms of fatigue, poor concentration, headaches, snoring, choking during sleep, and mood changes.3 This is where the cycle intensifies. Poor sleep from sleep apnea leaves you feeling foggy, tired, and irritable. You're less likely to exercise. If you're still doing shift work on top of that, you're caught in a loop that's hard to escape. And here’s the catch: sleep apnea makes losing weight more difficult. Disrupted sleep interferes with your hormones that regulate appetite and fat storage, and untreated sleep apnea can even make insulin resistance worse—putting you at greater risk of type 2 diabetes.4, 5 The good news? There is a way out, and recognising the pattern is the first step. If you’re working shifts and notice signs like loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, or waking up feeling unrefreshed, it’s worth speaking to your GP about the possibility of sleep apnea. A simple sleep study can confirm the diagnosis—and fortunately, there’s an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy is recognized as the gold standard for sleep apnea treatment and it works by gently blowing air through a mask to keep your airway open during sleep, eliminating the sleep apnea symptoms.6 Breaking the cycle takes time, but with the right support, it’s entirely possible. Don't wait until the symptoms escalate. If these symptoms sound familiar, take the first step today: talk to your doctor. Because good sleep isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic has grown to become a leading provider of respiratory and sleep services and products in Australia, with over 60 clinics nationwide. Our comprehensive clinical team includes Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, Sleep Technologists, and CPAP Consultants, ensuring that you receive comprehensive and personalised care. All medical procedures, including sleep studies and lung function testing, are bulk billed to all Australians, with minimal wait time. If you would like to speak to a Respiratory & Sleep Physician, book a bulk-billed sleep study, or seek advice for your sleep apnea, you can reach us at 1300 76 29 39 or info@thecpapclinic.com.au. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. CPAP is used for Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment. When considering whether a sleep study or CPAP is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&Cs apply. REFERENCES 1. “Hormonal Appetite Control Is Altered by Shift Work: A Preliminary Study.” Metabolism, vol. 60, no. 12, 1 Dec. 2011, pp. 1726–1735, www.sciencedirect.com. 2. Tuomilehto, Henri, et al. “Obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea – Clinical Significance of Weight Loss.” Sleep Medicine Reviews, vol. 17, no. 5, Oct. 2013, pp. 321–329, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079212000974 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2012.08.002. 3. Iannella, Giannicola, et al. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: From Symptoms to Treatment.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 4, 21 Feb. 2022, p. 2459, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042459. 4. Phillips, Bradley G., et al. “Increases in Leptin Levels, Sympathetic Drive, and Weight Gain in Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, vol. 279, no. 1, 1 July 2000, pp. H234–H237, https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.2000.279.1.h234. 5. Aurora, R Nisha, and Naresh M Punjabi. “Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Bidirectional Association.” The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, vol. 1, no. 4, 1 June 2013, pp. 329–338, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213260013700390, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(13)70039-0. Accessed 24 Oct. 2020. 6. “Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) | Sleep Health Foundation.” Www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au, www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-disorders/treatment-options-for-obstructive-sleep-apnoea-osa.
