Firmness and Mattress type and apnea

[me50]

I am wondering what firmness of mattress that is used to help with apnea and if you think that a mattress makes a difference in helping with the apnea (of course, I don't mean cure it but help with it). I know some feel strongly about having the head of the bed raised, etc.

[justMongo]

I'm considering getting an adjustable bed; not so much as an adjunct to sleep apnea treatment; but because I have back problems.
It's easier to get up from a semi sitting posture by rotating while keeping the spine in alignment.

[PaulaO2]

Eh, not really. Raising the head of the bed is more for treating the air swallowing, if one has a problem with that. But it can also make sleeping on your side uncomfortable which leads to more back sleeping which leads to more apnea events.

I have a memory foam topper on my bed and with it, I am able to sleep on my back. I didn't think I was but apparently, I like that position a lot with this thing. Prior to it, I woke up after just a half hour or less of laying on my back because my back, hips, and legs would be screaming in pain. I am willing to have a slightly higher AHI in exchange for being able to have multiple sleeping positions.

[PollCat]

Some of us have the sleep-number mattresses, which allows us to set the desired firmness.

[DOOM_NX]

Eh, not really. Raising the head of the bed is more for treating the air swallowing, if one has a problem with that. But it can also make sleeping on your side uncomfortable which leads to more back sleeping which leads to more apnea events.

Raising the head of the bed does help the airways to remain open. Whenever I sleep with two pillows, my average pressure drops by 2 cmH2O.

Regarding the firmness of the mattress, I don't think it makes a difference. I love my memory foam mattress, though. If my spine could talk, it would be more than grateful!

[justMongo]

Some of us have the sleep-number mattresses, which allows us to set the desired firmness.

I think at 370 pounds, I would blow one those air cells in the sleep number mattress

[eviltim]

I remember the first time I had an inkling that I had some sleep issues (I was already knee deep in sleep apnea, just didn't know it at the time and that was a few years ago), I bought a nice new memory foam matress. Not sure how firm it is but not very. It's great to have a mattress that doesn't creak when I lie down on it, but I don't think it made any difference in my apnea. I've also tried falling asleep in armchairs but I just can't do it.

[PaytonA]

Before I began treatment for sleep apnea, I used a wedge pillow under my upper body with a maximum rise of 5". According to my wife, it stopped my snoring. I do not think it helped my sleep apnea because I used the same wedge during my sleep study.

PaytonA

[DOOM_NX]

If you hadn't used that wedge, your apneas probably would have been worse.

[me50]

I am surprised that they let you use a wedge during a sleep study.