The consultants consulted for this story don’t essentially endorse the merchandise forward except in any other case famous.
Sleep apnea — a dysfunction by which one’s respiratory is interrupted for seconds or minutes at a time throughout sleep — impacts folks of all ages, genders and physique sorts, based on Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, a sleep medication doctor and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medication (AASM). But greater than 80% of sleep apnea instances stay undiagnosed, she mentioned.
“The most common symptom of sleep apnea is loud, persistent snoring,” Gurubhagavatula famous. Nonetheless, due to the unconscious nature of sleep, it may be difficult to find out whether or not you snore, a lot much less expertise sleep apnea episodes, except a member of the family, roommate or accomplice notices. Nonetheless, in case you discover your self waking up gasping or choking, and even ceaselessly utilizing the lavatory at night time, these can all represent sleep apnea signs, too.
The interruptions in respiratory that happen with sleep apnea “lead to frequent drops in blood oxygen levels, severely disrupting sleep quality,” defined Chelsie Rohrscheib, a neuroscientist and head sleep professional at Wesper. The implications of such diminished sleep high quality might be dire, affecting daytime hours and the broader structure of 1’s life emphasised Gurubhagavatula.
“For about half of those with sleep apnea, symptoms worsen when sleeping on their back,” defined Rohrscheib. That is known as positional sleep apnea, she famous, and happens as a result of sleeping in your again can really block your airway. Particularly, gravity could cause your tongue to fall into the throat throughout sleep, obscuring the airway, each consultants mentioned.
The excellent news is that sleep apnea is treatable.
“Patients with positional sleep apnea often benefit from sleeping on their side or elevating their head,” added Rohrscheib. “For people with mild sleep apnea, sleeping with a firm, elevated pillow might improve their respiration, as softer pillows that are thinner tend to promote airway blockage.”
For those who suspect you might have sleep apnea, search analysis by your physician or a specialist from an AASM-accredited sleep middle. A healthcare skilled can order you a sleep examine, which regularly might be performed proper at dwelling.
“Those with positional sleep apnea may still experience breathing disruptions, though typically to a lesser degree than when sleeping on their back,” Rohrscheib famous, and “not everyone with sleep apnea will see improvements by changing their sleep position.” It’s greatest to seek the advice of with a sleep specialist about whether or not positional remedy is sensible for you.
In case your physician agrees that swapping out your pillow may assist, you may try some HuffPost-selected pillow aids knowledgeable by professional perception forward.
A medium-firm reminiscence foam pillow that encourages facet sleeping
Switching to a facet sleeping place with an applicable pillow might be useful if in case you have delicate or positional sleep apnea, by which the dysfunction worsens throughout again sleeping.
“Usually, somebody with positional sleep apnea will profit extra from a pillow that enables them to sleep comfortably on their sides, resembling a medium agency reminiscence foam pillow,” mentioned Rohrscheib.
Based mostly on Rohrscheib’s recommendation, we chosen Tempurpedic’s beloved reminiscence foam pillow, which is designed to comfortably assist your head and neck throughout facet sleeping.
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An adjustable memory foam pillow for personalized support
This common contoured facet sleeping pillow is one other strong choice primarily based on Rohrscheib’s suggestion. It’s so necessary for any good facet pillow to assist the house between your shoulder and head as intently as potential, but that distance is exclusive to every individual relying on their explicit bodily make-up, based on sleep manufacturers like Tempurpedic. In spite of everything, shorter people could have completely different head-to-shoulder widths than taller folks.
Consequently, it may be advantageous to decide on an adjustable pillow, like this one. Oeko-Tex-certified and made out of reminiscence foam, the pillow gives 4 completely different heights so that you can select from to assist obtain optimum profile assist whereas serving to decrease neck pressure.
One other plus is that this selection is available in a journey measurement for simple portability.
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A supportive contoured memory foam pillow for easier side sleeping
For folks with positional sleep apnea, “The straightforward apply of sleeping on their facet or abdomen may also help preserve the airway open all through the night time,” famous Gurubhagavatula.
A concave contoured pillow, like this bestselling one which HuffPost chosen, could assist facet sleeping really feel comfier by offering extra assist. Made with reminiscence foam, the pillow is designed to ergonomically cradle the pinnacle at a 15-degree angle whereas supporting the pure curve of the neck and shoulders. This selection options handy detachable inserts, too, so you may modify it to your supreme facet profile width. If you would like the pillow to be even taller than the out there inserts permit, the corporate says you may even contact them for a further insert.
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A wedge pillow to comfortably elevate your upper body
Both Gurubhagavatula and Rohrscheib recommended wedge pillows for folks with mild or positional sleep apnea, since this kind of pillow helps encourage sleeping with the upper body elevated. “A wedge pillow that enables [patients] to sleep at a 45-degree angle … reduces the chance of sentimental tissue blockage at the back of the throat” and thus helps enhance respiration, defined Rohrscheib.
Based mostly on the consultants’ enter, we predict this bestselling reminiscence foam wedge pillow is a good choice. Accessible in tons of various sizes, together with choices that span your entire headboard, the adjustable pillow is a lot versatile (and surprisingly stylish due to its Jacquard pillow cowl). It is designed to assist with loud night breathing and encourage extra snug sleep, however can be used for again assist whereas studying or watching TV or for elevating your toes or legs after an extended day.
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A contoured pillow specifically designed for CPAP machine users
If you already know you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine to assist with nighttime breathing, you might benefit from a pillow that’s designed specifically with CPAPs in mind. “There are … pillows made for sleep apnea sufferers that use different therapies, like CPAP,” famous Rohrscheib.
This Contour CPAP Max pillow, which HuffPost chosen, is one such choice. The adjustable, orthopedic pillow sports activities facet cutouts to assist decrease leaks out of your masks and forestall your masks from transferring round. Its concave middle cradles your head whereas offering facial assist to assist facilitate snug airflow and facet positioning. With the pillow’s three detachable layers, you may add and subtract inserts to attain a really perfect peak to your facet profile. Accessible in authentic and cooling variations, the pillow even has a tether for attaching your machine’s hose to additional decrease shifting of your masks.
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A especially firm pillow made for CPAP machine wearers
This common, agency Lunderg reminiscence foam pillow, which HuffPost additionally selected, can also be designed for folk with sleep apnea who use CPAP machines. Designed to scale back masks air leaks, the pillow’s two sides provide completely different thickness ranges to accommodate differing facet profiles; the pillow additionally comes with a further detachable insert for additional customization. The piece additionally contains two pillowcases (considered one of which is cooling)!
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A full body pillow for increased comfort and support while side sleeping
In earlier HuffPost reporting, a sleep medication doctor advisable utilizing a full-body pillow to make facet and abdomen sleeping simpler whereas offering extra pressure-relieving assist.
Based mostly on this recommendation, we chosen this common adjustable full-body pillow from Pharmedoc. The piece is customizable, so you may go for its full U-shaped model, or detach considered one of its legs for a C-shape, and use the eliminated half for added assist between your legs or behind your head. It additionally comes with a heat-absorbing cooling cowl.
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A contoured knee pillow to encourage side sleeping in comfort
A sleep medication doctor additionally beforehand advised HuffPost {that a} small pillow in between the knees may also help align the backbone for extra snug facet sleeping.
Based mostly on this suggestion, we predict this orthopedic knee pillow from Luna is a strong choice. Contoured into an hourglass form and made with reminiscence foam, the knee pillow is designed to assist your physique whereas adapting to your explicit form and sustaining breathability with its cooling material. Designed to assist align the backbone, the sleep instrument helps cut back stress within the neck and shoulders whereas distributing your weight extra evenly within the facet sleeping place.
