Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
[font=Arial][size=small]I have done a search to see if anybody had raised the head of their bed to see if that helps with OSA and I can not find anything. Last night I tried that. I went to the lumber yard and bought 1 board 2x4x8' for $2.07. Had 6 pieces sawed off, 2x4x4 (so I thought). Turns out 2" means 1 1/2". Made 2 risers both 3" tall (wanted 4") by nailing 2 pieces together each. The other 2 risers for half way down the bed were straight 1 1/2" (wanted 2"). This puts the bed on a bit of a slant without bending you in the middle. Some other people on other forums have tried this but they didn't like it because they kept slipping off their bed. However, they made their risers to high. They were making them 6" tall. Well even though it has only been 1 night I am very pleased and hopeful. :grin:Normally, my AHI on CPAP is anywhere from 1.2 to 2.1. Last night it was .7. I do not feel blouted and my chest doesn't feel scary weird. I kept waking up during the night but that can easily be due to the change in the bed. When I have gone on vacation my sleep is usually not very good the first night.
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
3" works well for me -started out at 2" years ago because 3-4 felt weird
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
We had the headboard of our bed raised with 1 2x4. When I last had my pressure raised, I got up each morning and belched really really long. We decided to raise it another 2x4 and it seemed to make it better until it all finally settled.
Since OSA is when the throat collapses, anything that helps with gravity is always good! If a user sleeps mostly on their back, I can see how this might help bring AHI down.
So you did this to help with the stomach bloat? An AHI of 1.2 is great! A lot of folks can never get that close.
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
i have slept with a 5" foam rubber wedge on my mattress with a pillow or two on top of that for many years because of bad reflux. to tell you the truth if the reflux wants out, it's coming no matter what you do or how you sleep.
First Diagnosed July 1990
MSgt (E-7) USAF (Medic)
Retired 1968-1990
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
Ain't that the truth?? The 1 board didn't do any good but we never moved it out.
And make sure the boards are all connected to each other! When we were experimenting with the second board, one night Sam (dog) jumped up on the bed and it all came down. 4" is a big drop!
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
(04-15-2012, 05:41 PM)PaulaO2 Wrote: Ain't that the truth?? The 1 board didn't do any good but we never moved it out.
And make sure the boards are all connected to each other! When we were experimenting with the second board, one night Sam (dog) jumped up on the bed and it all came down. 4" is a big drop!
i don't just get reflux. i get the terrible chest pains associated with the hiatal hernia also.
i was taking 3 prilosec a day and it quit working. now i'm on one nexium and 3 sucralfate a day and still have to watch what i eat and when to eat it.
untreated apnea is much worse for reflux. when the throat is closed and you're trying to breathe it tries to force the reflux up the esophagus. on cpap, the air pressure tends to help keep the reflux down.
First Diagnosed July 1990
MSgt (E-7) USAF (Medic)
Retired 1968-1990
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
Since started cpap therapy no more acid reflux not even once - touch wood
May be close the kitchen early
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
I had to laugh about the dog. Yes I nailed the 2 risers that added up to 3" with long nails and then put more nails part way in to stop the bed from rolling. There are 2 wheel locks on the rollers. One on the upper right side and one on the lower left side.
Noboby mentioned if they put risers half down the bed. I did that because I read that just raising the head of the bed will cause your body to bend in the middle and make acid reflux worst.
I did this because I want to get as good as I can. To have no bloating in the morning and my chest feeling normal was a surprise. Other mornings I thought that my stomach looked bigger but I wasn't sure whether I had bloat. Well, getting up this morning my stomach was alot smaller. Also, other mornings when I got up my chest felt weird as if something had happened during the night. It scared me a bit too. This morning, woow, I don't feel that scary feeling.:grin:
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
Just recalled someone mentioned that using a flatter pillow or no pillow did help and get rid of the bloating feeling.
RE: Has anybody tried raising the head of their bed?
And some people say a fatter pillow works.
My boards are on the floor, not under the mattress. I don't understand why putting it just under the headboard would cause the sleeper to bend....
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
