As professionals better understand the problem, there are more and more solutions being offered.  One of those may be a sleep apnea pillow, which is gaining popularity with those who try it.

You’ve probably already heard the term sleep apnea, which refers to the stoppage of breathing during sleep.  There are many reasons for this but like with snoring, it can happen when a person is sleeping on their back and the mouth falls open.  This can cause the tongue to fall over the throat and block the air passages or the fatty tissue in the back of the mouth to do the same.  A  sleep apnea pillow is designed to keep a person from sleeping on their back so that these conditions don’t occur.

In the past patients that snore or are affected by sleep apnea were told to put a tennis ball on their back so that if they roll onto their back they will feel uncomfortable forcing them to roll back to their side.Just imagine how painful this can be!A sleep apnea pillow is capable of holding the head and back in a comfortable position since it is a large foam type pillow.  There are many different varieties from which to choose; some are like regular pillows and wrap around the head and neck to keep it from turning.

Another type of sleep apnea pillow is one that wraps around the midsection and back to keep a person sleeping on their side.It has the same effect as the tennis ball method but it is far more comforting.At the end of the day would you rather have a cold hard tennis ball digging into your back or a soft and firm sleep apnea pillow sleep apnea pillow supporting you.Most people prefer the pillow!  It won’t interrupt your sleep and will keep you comfortable all night as well.

There is also another type of sleep apnea pillow that works with a CPAP machine.  This pillow has inserts in which you can nestle the hoses for the CPAP machine, making it easier and more comfortable to use.  If you use a CPAP machine you may want to consider a sleep apnea pillow with it as well to keep you comfortable and the hoses out of your way.

Anyone that suspects they have the condition should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of sleep apnea. This condition is not something that is just annoying but is dangerous and can also be downright deadly. Some have unfortunately died from the cessation of breathing during the night, so of course realizing if you have this condition and getting it treated properly is vitally important. So let’s look at some common symptoms of sleep apnea and remember, you might not be able to recognize these symptoms in yourself but may need to ask your bedmate or another family member if they notice them when you sleep.

Your breathing and the sounds you make during sleep are common symptoms of sleep apnea. When your body stops breathing temporarily during the night of course it works very hard to get itself breathing again and this might mean sounds like choking, gasping, snorting, or wheezing. Many people think that these sounds are just common or harmless snoring but these noises, especially when loud or severe, are common symptoms of sleep apnea. The body gasps when it starts breathing after being denied oxygen or someone wheezes when that oxygen gets cut off. These are not good sounds for anyone and should be taken very seriously.

Sleep apnea interferes with a person’s sleep whether they’re aware of it or not. The way you feel during the day can also be common symptoms of sleep apnea. You might think you’ve gotten a good night’s sleep but if you’re fatigued when you wake up, have headaches throughout the day, get daytime sleepiness, or just generally don’t feel rested all of these can be symptoms of sleep apnea. It’s important that a person get several hours of uninterrupted sleep in order to be really refreshed and recharged but sleep apnea of course interferes with consistent rest. Again, a person isn’t typically aware of the fact that he or she has sleep apnea and is waking up during the night so these daytime symptoms should be considered.

Any and all of these symptoms of sleep apnea should be taken seriously. A doctor can refer you to a sleep clinic, but most cases of sleep apnea are caused by excess body weight. If you’re several pounds overweight you might want to consider doing what you can to lose this weight and see if perhaps these symptoms of sleep apnea don’t clear up.