The consultants consulted for this story don’t essentially endorse the merchandise forward except in any other case famous.
Sleep apnea — a dysfunction during which one’s respiratory is interrupted for seconds or minutes at a time throughout sleep — impacts folks of all ages, genders and physique sorts, in line with Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, a sleep drugs doctor and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). But greater than 80% of sleep apnea instances stay undiagnosed, she mentioned.
“The most typical symptom of sleep apnea is loud, persistent loud night breathing,” 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 associate notices. Nonetheless, for those who discover your self waking up gasping or choking, and even continuously utilizing the lavatory at evening, these can all represent sleep apnea signs, too.
The interruptions in respiratory that happen with sleep apnea “result in frequent drops in blood oxygen ranges, severely disrupting sleep high quality,” defined Chelsie Rohrscheib, a neuroscientist and head sleep knowledgeable at Wesper. The results of such diminished sleep high quality will be dire, affecting daytime hours and the broader structure of 1’s life emphasised Gurubhagavatula.
“For about half of these with sleep apnea, signs worsen when sleeping on their again,” defined Rohrscheib. That is referred to as positional sleep apnea, she famous, and happens as a result of sleeping in your again can truly block your airway. Particularly, gravity may 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.
“Sufferers with positional sleep apnea typically profit from sleeping on their facet or elevating their head,” added Rohrscheib. “For folks with gentle sleep apnea, sleeping with a agency, elevated pillow would possibly enhance their respiration, as softer pillows which are thinner have a tendency to advertise airway blockage.”
If you happen to suspect you will have sleep apnea, search analysis by your physician or a specialist from an AASM-accredited sleep center. A healthcare skilled can order you a sleep examine, which regularly will be completed proper at home.
“These with positional sleep apnea should expertise respiratory disruptions, although usually to a lesser diploma than when sleeping on their again,” Rohrscheib famous, and “not everybody with sleep apnea will see enhancements by altering their sleep place.” 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 would possibly assist, you possibly can try some HuffPost-selected pillow aids knowledgeable by knowledgeable perception forward.
Tempurpedic
A medium-firm reminiscence foam pillow that encourages facet sleeping
Switching to a facet sleeping place with an acceptable pillow will be useful when you have gentle or positional sleep apnea, during which the dysfunction worsens throughout again sleeping.
“Sometimes, 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.
Primarily based on Rohrscheib’s recommendation, we chosen Tempurpedic’s beloved memory foam pillow, which is designed to comfortably help your head and neck throughout facet sleeping.
Amazon
An adjustable reminiscence foam pillow for customized help
This popular contoured side sleeping pillow is one other strong choice based mostly on Rohrscheib’s advice. It’s so essential for any good facet pillow to help the area between your shoulder and head as carefully as attainable, but that distance is exclusive to every individual relying on their explicit bodily make-up, in line with sleep manufacturers like Tempurpedic. In any case, shorter people might 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 help whereas serving to reduce neck pressure.
One other plus is that this feature is available in a travel size for simple portability.
Amazon
A supportive contoured reminiscence foam pillow for simpler facet sleeping
For folk with positional sleep apnea, “The easy apply of sleeping on their facet or abdomen can assist hold the airway open all through the evening,” famous Gurubhagavatula.
A concave contoured pillow, like this bestselling one which HuffPost chosen, might assist facet sleeping really feel comfier by offering further help. Made with reminiscence foam, the pillow is designed to ergonomically cradle the top at a 15-degree angle whereas supporting the pure curve of the neck and shoulders. This feature options handy detachable inserts, too, so you possibly can regulate it to your preferrred facet profile width. If you would like the pillow to be even taller than the accessible inserts permit, the corporate says you possibly can even contact them for an extra insert.
Amazon
A wedge pillow to comfortably elevate your higher physique
Each Gurubhagavatula and Rohrscheib beneficial wedge pillows for people with gentle or positional sleep apnea, since this type of pillow helps encourage sleeping with the higher physique elevated. “A wedge pillow that enables [patients] to sleep at a 45-degree angle … reduces the danger of soppy tissue blockage at the back of the throat” and thus helps enhance respiration, defined Rohrscheib.
Primarily based on the consultants’ enter, we expect this bestselling memory foam wedge pillow is a superb choice. Out there in tons of various sizes, together with choices that span your whole headboard, the adjustable pillow is loads versatile (and surprisingly stylish because of its Jacquard pillow cowl). It is designed to assist with loud night breathing and encourage extra comfy sleep, however can be used for again help whereas studying or watching TV or for elevating your ft or legs after a protracted day.
Amazon
A contoured pillow particularly designed for CPAP machine customers
If you happen to already know you’ve gotten sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine to help with nighttime respiratory, you would possibly profit from a pillow that is designed particularly with CPAPs in thoughts. “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 reduce leaks out of your masks and forestall your masks from shifting round. Its concave heart cradles your head whereas offering facial help to assist facilitate comfy airflow and facet positioning. With the pillow’s three detachable layers, you possibly can add and subtract inserts to realize a really perfect top on your facet profile. Out there in authentic and cooling variations, the pillow even has a tether for attaching your machine’s hose to additional reduce shifting of your masks.
Amazon
A particularly agency pillow made for CPAP machine wearers
This popular, firm Lunderg memory foam pillow, which HuffPost additionally selected, can be designed for people with sleep apnea who use CPAP machines. Designed to cut back masks air leaks, the pillow’s two sides provide completely different thickness ranges to accommodate differing facet profiles; the pillow additionally comes with an extra detachable insert for additional customization. The piece additionally contains two pillowcases (one in every of which is cooling)!
Amazon
A full physique pillow for elevated consolation and help whereas facet sleeping
In previous HuffPost reporting, a sleep drugs doctor beneficial utilizing a full-body pillow to make facet and abdomen sleeping simpler whereas offering further pressure-relieving help.
Primarily based on this recommendation, we chosen this well-liked adjustable full-body pillow from Pharmedoc. The piece is customizable, so you possibly can go for its full U-shaped model, or detach one in every of its legs for a C-shape, and use the eliminated half for added help between your legs or behind your head. It additionally comes with a heat-absorbing cooling cowl.
Amazon
A contoured knee pillow to encourage facet sleeping in consolation
A sleep drugs doctor additionally previously told HuffPost {that a} small pillow in between the knees can assist align the backbone for extra comfy facet sleeping.
Primarily based on this suggestion, we expect 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 help your physique whereas adapting to your explicit form and sustaining breathability with its cooling cloth. Designed to assist align the backbone, the sleep device helps cut back strain within the neck and shoulders whereas distributing your weight extra evenly within the facet sleeping place.
