Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleeping disorders experienced by adults all over the world. It is marked by difficulty in breathing during sleep because of the obstruction of one’s airwaves. Thus, you would need to get a pillow that helps clear your airwaves when you are sleeping so that you can sleep better. This article reviews 5 of the best pillows for sleep apnea.
Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, insomnia, tossing and turning, and waking up with a fuzzy head. With this in mind, it is important to put in some thought while choosing a pillow that will provide the most comfort to improve the quality of your sleep. Below are tips on how to choose the perfect pillow for sleep apnea.
How To Choose the Best Pillows for Sleep Apnea?
While looking for the best pillow to deal with sleep apnea, you should consider the following factors:
Material– The best pillow material for a person diagnosed with sleep apnea is memory foam. It does the best job in alleviating the symptoms of sleep apnea. The other materials that you could consider for your pillow include polyester, buckwheat, and latex.
Loft– The loft of your pillow will depend on the type of sleeper you are. Back and side sleepers require a relatively higher loft, while stomach sleepers do best with pillows that are almost flat. The loft is important because it helps to maintain the natural alignment of one’s spine to increase comfort while sleeping.
Shape– The shape of the pillow is one of the most crucial factors to consider. The best shapes for this type of pillow are wedge and contour. Wedge pillows raise your head as you sleep, opening your airways and reducing the effects of sleep apnea. Similarly, contour-shaped pillows help with breathing by preventing airway obstruction. This is achieved by raising the head slightly and holding the neck comfortably in place.
Size– The size of the pillow should be proportional to the size of your bed and big enough to support your neck and head.
Firmness – You want a pillow that is firm enough to maintain its shape but with the right amount of softness to mold into your back, neck, and head for maximum comfort.
5 Best Pillows for Sleep Apnea
Product | Brand | Product Weight | Product Dimensions | Material | Color | |
EnduriMed CPAP Comfort Pillow | EnduriMed | 2 pounds | 22.44 x 11.81 x 5.12 inches | Cotton | White | |
FitPlus Bed Premium Wedge Pillow | FitPlus | 4.27 pounds | 28 x 24 x 7.5 inches | Memory Foam, Polyurethane Foam | Clear 949 | |
HEALTH Bed Wedge Pillow | HEALTH | 5.15 pounds | 24 x 24 x 10 inches | Memory foam | ||
Lundberg CPAP Pillow for Side Sleepers | Lundberg | 5.77 pounds | 17.28 x 13.27 x 7.52 inches | Memory foam | ||
MARNUR Cervical Memory Foam Pillow | MARNUR | 2.99 pounds | 11.02 x 7.68 x 14.37 inches | Memory foam | White |
EnduriMed CPAP Comfort Pillow
Sleeping on the EnduriMed pillow will incredibly enhance the quality of sleep if you have sleep apnea. You will be guaranteed to fall asleep easier and faster and wake up feeling refreshed and energized thanks to the enabling features of the pillow.
For one, it has a contoured design that allows your head and neck to rest comfortably regardless of whether you are sleeping on your stomach, side, or back. Also, it’s made of high-quality memory foam material, which is soft and soothing for maximum comfort.
Additionally, it comes with a dual-density feature that allows you to can adjust the thickness level of the pillow to suit your needs. For this, it includes a removable foam pad which you can insert or remove to increase or reduce the thickness of the pillow respectively.
This pillow is also made with CPAP, BIPAP, and APAP users in mind; it has gaps in the corners to accommodate full face masks and keep the tangles coming from the mask out of the way. The EnduriMed CPAP Comfort Pillow is a good way to invest in your sleep.
Pros
- It is made with high-quality memory foam.
- It is great for back, side, and stomach sleepers.
- It is dual-density, and one can adjust its thickness level accordingly.
- It is accommodative of BI-PAP, CPAP, and APAP mask users.
Cons
- It is not compatible with a bunch of nasal masks.
FitPlus Bed Premium Wedge Pillow
Do you struggle with sleep because of breathing issues caused by sleep apnea? Then you should seriously consider the FitPlus Bed Premium Wedge Pillow. It is made of 2 inches of high-density memory foam with a premium-grade polyurethane foam base for maximum comfort. The memory foam is designed to mold to the contours of your shoulders, neck, and head to enhance your sleeping position.
Also, its shape ensures that you sleep in postures that not only enhance your comfort but also open your airwaves to facilitate better breathing. With this pillow, you will start snoring less, having longer uninterrupted sleep periods, and waking up feeling rested and refreshed.
Besides helping with your breathing, this ergonomically shaped pillow also enhances your sleeping posture, which goes a long way in preventing health problems associated with your spine and neck. Furthermore, you can use the pillow for a more upright posture while reading in bed or watching TV.
Additionally, the FitPlus Wedge Pillow comes with a soft, breathable cover that you can remove and wash before putting it back. What’s more, this product comes with a 2-year warranty, so you can always take it back if anything is not right.
Pros
- It has an ergonomic shape that improves posture and opens airwaves for easier breathing while asleep.
- It is made with soft, comfortable high memory foam.
- It is a multi-purpose pillow
- It comes with a 2-year warranty.
Cons
- Not recommended for stomach sleepers.
HEALTH Bed Wedge Pillow
The HEALTH Bed Wedge Pillow has an ergonomic design which a 30” inclination which enhances your sleeping posture drastically, making breathing easier and eliminating snoring over time. Moreover, the posture also alleviates back pain, acid reflux, and sciatica pain, making it multi-purpose.
The advanced cooling gel memory foam technology and the ultra-soft cover ensure that you sleep as comfortably as possible. Furthermore, the 1.5 inch memory foam does not lose its density with regular use- it springs back into its shape every time you wake up, so you can be sure it will serve you efficiently for a long time.
While it is firm, the pillow is also soft enough that the thinner edge does not feel like a bump on your lower back- it embraces the shape of your body. Besides improving the quality of your sleep, you can also use this pillow for sitting upright when using your laptop or eating in bed. You can also use it as a leg wedge pillow to improve blood circulation.
Pros
- It is durable.
- The foam springs back to its original shape after use.
- It is a multi-purpose pillow.
Cons
- The foam gives off an odor for a while.
Lundberg CPAP Pillow for Side Sleepers
If you struggle with breathing while you sleep due to apnea, then this pillow will help you sleep so much better. It will enhance your sleeping posture such that your airwaves are more open to accommodate smoother breathing.
It has two sides and two levels of thickness to provide comfort for your head and neck. You can adjust the level of thickness by adding or removing the extra layer of removable foam that comes with the package.
While it is most suited for side-sleepers, you can also sleep on your stomach or back with this pillow. Moreover, it works perfectly with nasal and full masks, so it is completely suitable for CPAP, APAP, and BIPAP users. As a bonus, it comes with two high-quality pillowcases that are machine-washable.
Pros
- It enhances one’s sleeping position such that they breathe better while sleeping.
- It is made with durable memory foam.
- It comes with two pillowcases for convenience.
Cons
- It is relatively expensive.
MARNUR Cervical Memory Foam Pillow
The MARNUR Cervical Memory Foam Pillow is designed to provide good sleep quality that allows for smoother breathing, particularly if you have sleep apnea. The best part of the pillow is the cervical contour that maintains the natural curve of the neck, offering both the neck and the head maximum support.
Furthermore, the pillow has high and low curved surfaces of memory foam on both sides to provide a custom fit for all types of sleepers: those who sleep on their back, side, and stomach. It also helps with people who toss and turn the whole night.
The memory foam material is skin-friendly and absolutely breathable. Also, the foam springs back into shape after you wake up, so you can be sure it will offer you maximum comfort every time you go to sleep. Moreover, the pillow has special armrests that enable you to relax your arms as you sleep.
Pros
- It promotes smoother breathing by improving one’s sleeping posture.
- It is made with high-quality memory form.
- It supports back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and side sleepers.
Cons
- It is costly.
Conclusion
The pillows reviewed in this article will provide you with the right amount of head and neck support to alleviate the effects of sleep apnea. They will adequately open your airwaves to facilitate smoother breathing while you sleep. For more information, please click on the links provided.