The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.
Sleep apnea — a disorder in which one’s breathing is interrupted for seconds or minutes at a time during sleep — affects people of all ages, genders and body types, according to Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, a sleep medicine physician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Yet more than 80% of sleep apnea cases remain undiagnosed, she said.
“The most common symptom of sleep apnea is loud, persistent snoring,” Gurubhagavatula noted. However, because of the unconscious nature of sleep, it can be tricky to determine whether you snore, much less experience sleep apnea episodes, unless a family member, roommate or partner notices. However, if you notice yourself waking up gasping or choking, or even frequently using the bathroom at night, these can all constitute sleep apnea symptoms, too.
The interruptions in breathing that occur with sleep apnea “lead to frequent drops in blood oxygen levels, severely disrupting sleep quality,” explained Chelsie Rohrscheib, a neuroscientist and head sleep expert at Wesper. The consequences of such diminished sleep quality can be dire, affecting daytime hours and the broader constitution of one’s life emphasized Gurubhagavatula.
“For about half of those with sleep apnea, symptoms worsen when sleeping on their back,” explained Rohrscheib. This is called positional sleep apnea, she noted, and occurs because sleeping on your back can actually block your airway. Specifically, gravity can cause your tongue to fall into the throat during sleep, obscuring the airway, both experts said.
The good news is that sleep apnea is treatable.
“Patients with positional sleep apnea often benefit from sleeping on their side or elevating their head,” added Rohrscheib. “For people with mild sleep apnea, sleeping with a firm, elevated pillow might improve their respiration, as softer pillows that are thinner tend to promote airway blockage.”
If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, seek evaluation by your doctor or a specialist from an AASM-accredited sleep center. A healthcare professional can order you a sleep study, which often can be done right at home.
“Those with positional sleep apnea may still experience breathing disruptions, though typically to a lesser degree than when sleeping on their back,” Rohrscheib noted, and “not everyone with sleep apnea will see improvements by changing their sleep position.” It’s best to consult with a sleep specialist about whether positional therapy makes sense for you.
If your doctor agrees that swapping out your pillow might help, you can check out some HuffPost-selected pillow aids informed by expert insight ahead.
Tempurpedic
A medium-firm memory foam pillow that encourages side sleeping
Switching to a side sleeping position with an appropriate pillow can be helpful if you have mild or positional sleep apnea, in which the disorder worsens during back sleeping.
“Typically, someone with positional sleep apnea will benefit more from a pillow that allows them to sleep comfortably on their sides, such as a medium firm memory foam pillow,” said Rohrscheib.
Based on Rohrscheib’s advice, we selected Tempurpedic’s beloved memory foam pillow, which is designed to comfortably support your head and neck during side sleeping.
Amazon
An adjustable memory foam pillow for personalized support
This popular contoured side sleeping pillow is another solid option based on Rohrscheib’s recommendation. It’s so important for any good side pillow to support the space between your shoulder and head as closely as possible, yet that distance is unique to each person depending on their particular physical makeup, according to sleep brands like Tempurpedic. After all, shorter folks may have different head-to-shoulder widths than taller people.
As a result, it can be advantageous to choose an adjustable pillow, like this one. Oeko-Tex-certified and made out of memory foam, the pillow provides four different heights for you to choose from to help achieve optimal profile support while helping minimize neck strain.
Another plus is that this option comes in a travel size for easy portability.
Amazon
A supportive contoured memory foam pillow for easier side sleeping
For folks with positional sleep apnea, “The simple practice of sleeping on their side or stomach can help keep the airway open throughout the night,” noted Gurubhagavatula.
A concave contoured pillow, like this bestselling one that HuffPost selected, may help side sleeping feel comfier by providing additional support. Made with memory foam, the pillow is designed to ergonomically cradle the head at a 15-degree angle while supporting the natural curve of the neck and shoulders. This option features convenient removable inserts, too, so you can adjust it to your ideal side profile width. If you’d like the pillow to be even taller than the available inserts allow, the company says you can even contact them for an additional insert.
Amazon
A wedge pillow to comfortably elevate your upper body
Both Gurubhagavatula and Rohrscheib recommended wedge pillows for folks with mild or positional sleep apnea, since this kind of pillow helps encourage sleeping with the upper body elevated. “A wedge pillow that allows [patients] to sleep at a 45-degree angle … reduces the risk of soft tissue blockage in the back of the throat” and thus helps improve respiration, explained Rohrscheib.
Based on the experts’ input, we think this bestselling memory foam wedge pillow is a great option. Available in tons of different sizes, including options that span your whole headboard, the adjustable pillow is plenty versatile (and surprisingly chic thanks to its Jacquard pillow cover). It’s designed to help with snoring and encourage more comfortable sleep, but can also be used for back support while reading or watching TV or for elevating your feet or legs after a long day.
Amazon
A contoured pillow specifically designed for CPAP machine users
If you already know you have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine to assist with nighttime breathing, you might benefit from a pillow that’s designed specifically with CPAPs in mind. “There are … pillows made for sleep apnea patients that use other therapies, like CPAP,” noted Rohrscheib.
This Contour CPAP Max pillow, which HuffPost selected, is one such option. The adjustable, orthopedic pillow sports side cutouts to help minimize leaks from your mask and prevent your mask from moving around. Its concave center cradles your head while providing facial support to help facilitate comfortable airflow and side positioning. With the pillow’s three removable layers, you can add and subtract inserts to achieve an ideal height for your side profile. Available in original and cooling versions, the pillow even has a tether for attaching your machine’s hose to further minimize shifting of your mask.
Amazon
A especially firm pillow made for CPAP machine wearers
This popular, firm Lunderg memory foam pillow, which HuffPost also chose, is also designed for folks with sleep apnea who use CPAP machines. Designed to reduce mask air leaks, the pillow’s two sides offer different thickness levels to accommodate differing side profiles; the pillow also comes with an additional removable insert for further customization. The piece also includes two pillowcases (one of which is cooling)!
Amazon
A full body pillow for increased comfort and support while side sleeping
In previous HuffPost reporting, a sleep medicine physician recommended using a full-body pillow to make side and stomach sleeping easier while providing additional pressure-relieving support.
Based on this advice, we selected this popular adjustable full-body pillow from Pharmedoc. The piece is customizable, so you can opt for its full U-shaped style, or detach one of its legs for a C-shape, and use the removed part for additional support between your legs or behind your head. It also comes with a heat-absorbing cooling cover.
Amazon
A contoured knee pillow to encourage side sleeping in comfort
A sleep medicine physician also previously told HuffPost that a small pillow in between the knees can help align the spine for more comfortable side sleeping.
Based on this suggestion, we think this orthopedic knee pillow from Luna is a solid option. Contoured into an hourglass shape and made with memory foam, the knee pillow is designed to support your body while adapting to your particular shape and maintaining breathability with its cooling fabric. Designed to help align the spine, the sleep tool helps reduce pressure in the neck and shoulders while distributing your weight more evenly in the side sleeping position.