Could a wedge pillow change your sleep quality?

[gainerfull]

Just got a wedge pillow in yesterday and I may have just found an answer to my central apneas.

This is the pillow I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AK3VZBA/?ta...AAAAAAAmX5

Here's the review:

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/...ge-pillow/

Here's some of the science behind why it works:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5700252/

Here is my OSCAR data for two nights ago without sleeping on the wedge:



Here is last night sleeping on the wedge:



I hope this helps! Since I've been recording my sp02 nightly I've never seen blood oxygen levels this great and hoping the trend continues!

For reference, my average AHI in May has been 2.64 and April it was 2.49. I've never seen AHI this low in 9 years of CPAP therapy.

[VVVV]

Nothing in your charts supports your idea that the wedge helps with central apneas. There are too few to be statistically significant with or without the wedge, and it's only one night. And they are likely not central apneas, instead just a very few transition apneas which occur naturally when drifting in and out of sleep.

The NIH study you referenced refers only to obstructive not central sleep apnea. Also, it's about elevating the head of the bed and not about using a wedge. (Although the effect on obstructive may be similar.)

How do you feel you slept? Judge this at the end of the day.

What will you do when you travel?

[Jay51]

I have 3 of the exact same wedges you have in the picture stacked on each other to form about a 45 degree angle which I sleep on in the bed.  

When I got this Evo ventilator, I was sleeping on my back.  My Epap went up to the max 20 (usually between 15-20) and my Ipap went up to 30 (usually between 20 and 30).  I could not tolerate these high pressures, so I had to formulate a plan to get those numbers down to a reasonable level. 

I read a thread here on ApneaBoard about sleeping in a recliner (thread said sleeping in a recliner could be the best thing to do if have no machine - I was between machines at the time) so I tried it.  Results were amazing for me.  SPO2 was dramatically improved in the recliner position as opposed to on my back.   It really helped me OSA.  Like VVVV posted above though - it cannot in theory help CSA.  I hypoventilate also; and it helped my hypoventilation.  

This adjustment to gravity made it easier to breathe for me in multiple ways.  Since the diaphragm pulls downward, it was easier with a little help from gravity.  It was easier to breathe through my nose with not as much sinus pooling of fluid.  I recently saw an Allergist and am now taking Azelistine HCL and Montelucast pills.  They have helped also.  My throat opened up more due to gravity (much better SPO2 numbers).  The relaxed soft tissue in my throat and tongue did not fall straight down with as much force in this position.  This can really help GERD also.  The only negative is some slight pain to my lower back and hips.  I use a seat cushion also for shock absorbsion.  I liked this set up in bed better than the recliner because my feet were not dangling down (hurt my legs too much in a recliner).

Now my Evo epap reaches a max of 8 during the night.  My ipap gets to around 12 or 13 max.  Much more tolerable for me to both fall asleep and stay asleep.  

I have to add this though also:  while in this position taking a nap once using my vpap adapt s9 ASV, I tried it without a cervical collar and had an AHI of 20 or so (was 42 on Watchpat on my back and 32 on PSG on my back.  Chin tucking can occur in this position.  Chin tucking can occur in just about any position immaginable.  

This could be a good strategy to try if you are getting very high pressures from your machine and want to bring them down.  YMMV.

[Lucid]

Thanks for posting about this, gainerfull! 

I bought a wedge but I sleep on my back and am trying to figure out how to keep my head from slumping forward with the incline.  I usually try to adjust my pillows to maintain more of a "rescue position" of the head and neck.  I can't do that with the solid wedge.

I do think the elevation would be very useful for reducing nasal congestion, so I'm still thinking about how to make this work.

Do you sleep on your back or side?

[gainerfull]

Thanks for posting about this, gainerfull! 

I bought a wedge but I sleep on my back and am trying to figure out how to keep my head from slumping forward with the incline.  I usually try to adjust my pillows to maintain more of a "rescue position" of the head and neck.  I can't do that with the solid wedge.

I do think the elevation would be very useful for reducing nasal congestion, so I'm still thinking about how to make this work.

Do you sleep on your back or side?

I tend to go to sleep on my side / stomach and wake up on my back and actually feel the most comfortable sleeping on my back with the wedge pillow. This wedge is pretty long & wide so I put most of my upper body on it to avoid the slumping forward you mention.

If you prefer to only rest your head on it you might try rolling the small pillow it comes with and putting it under your neck. Good luck!