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What is the Best CPAP Pillow?
For patients who use CPAP machines, the ease of symptoms from sleep apnea is almost immediate. You begin to sleep better and wake up refreshed. For those having a hard time adjusting to CPAP therapy or looking to improve their experience, it might be time to consider a CPAP pillow.
Continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) therapy, the most accurate and least invasive sleep therapy option, works by supplying constant pressurized airflow to the sleeper’s airways. The airflow maintains the airway and breathing passages open, cutting or eliminating apnea episodes that leave the sleeper gasping for air in the dead of night. CPAP therapy needs a CPAP machine, a CPAP mask, and a tube joining the device to the mask. Some find sleeping with a CPAP mask connected to a tube can be difficult. For these patients, a specialized pillow may be the solution.
A CPAP pillow is a customized bed pillow designed for individuals who utilize a CPAP machine for sleep apnea therapy. These pillows have a varying shape and texture—usually dimpled and feature cutouts to allow for the mask and hose. This therefore, is the best nasal pillow for a CPAP mask. Although there are CPAP masks for every sleeping position, CPAP pillows are made for side and stomach sleepers only as back sleeping causes more frequent apnea episodes
What is The Design of the Best CPAP Pillow?
While every pillow design may vary, the CPAP pillow shares a few key characteristics. These include:
1. Irregular Shapes
CPAP pillows commonly feature side cutouts on both sides. This design gives space for the mask and hose. The stickers are on either side to allow for left or right-handed sleepers or those who toss over the course of the night.
2. Curved Bottom
CPAP pillows often feature a sloped bottom for the sleeper’s shoulders. This helps maintain the neck and shoulders aligned. This is the best CPAP pillow for side sleepers.
3. Center Indent
A slight depression at the center of the pillow allows the neck to align correctly.
4. Hose Tether
Some pillows provide a hose stabilizer to help limit pulls and pressure on your mask throughout the night.
5. Material
Best CPAP Pillows for CPAP users are typically made of a material that gives additional head and neck support.
How a CPAP Pillows Works
Often, CPAP users have to deal with masks moving or leaking due to facial pressure from a typical bed pillow. The cutouts on either side of a CPAP pillow give room for the mask exhalation ports to remain open. As a result, rather than being moved out of place, your seal will remain intact throughout the night despite moving around at night. The CPAP pillow allows for comfortable sleeping with a CPAP mask and tube.
With the use of particular materials, i.e., memory foam, CPAP pillows are made to offer additional comfort to the head and neck that regular pillows don’t provide. These pillows mostly come in changeable heights to best satisfy your needs. In addition, the sturdy support maintains accurate alignment, thus reducing the number of times you experience neck pain, spinal issues, and reduces apneas.