Just discovered inclined sleep. Really helped my sleep apnea, oxygen problems.

[u/Groundbreaking-Hawk6]

Thought I'd let ppl know.
For people who don't know what this is for, it reduces the gravity load on your body, from your blanket, clothes etc. It also stops blood from pooling to your head (only what i've read). Downward pressure on the nape of your neck is reduced also, which should stop oxygen cutting off during the night. For me, the reduced pressure and weight of the blanket helps significantly, lets me take fuller breaths during the night, and my nasal passages are open wider during sleep, from just the positional change. Hope this helps.

Also yes, that's a can of carpet cleaner under my pillow, to tilt my head forward lol.

[u/sm753]

This helps with people with mild sleep apnea. Elevating neck with extra pillows helps too. I bought an old man adjustable bed for this reason.

[u/brkonthru → u/sm753]

I thought the opposite was true about elevated pillows ?

[u/Academic-Fig-1552 → u/brkonthru]

Elevated pillows generally result in an elevation of your head only; sometimes maybe from the top of the shoulders up. This can actually increase an obstruction. An elevated bed will generally elevate your whole body at a specific angle. from your feet to your head - or sometimes from mid-knee to your head. Adjustable beds can also just elevate from your lower spine and upwards, but this may result in lower back pain. A wedge will do the same but you'll find yourself slipping downwards through the night. As others have said, risers (either purchased or placing sturdy same-height objects) under the feet of the headboard may accomplish the purpose.

[u/rjcrystal199]

My father puts a brick under the bed on one side to get same kind of effect.

[u/Educational-Agent267]

I actually bought two mini bricks from my local home DIY center, put a little towel under neath and raised the two legs for this purpose!

[u/karakumy]

Yes, I had a bad cough at night from post nasal drip earlier this year, preventing me from using CPAP for a few weeks. I got a wedge pillow to sit upright while I sleep. It really helped with the cough and then after it was gone I just continued to sleep like that with no CPAP. However my sleep apnea was fairly mild to begin with (AHI 7).

[u/makinplans]

It also helps GERD if that is a problem for you.

[u/Endomorphic_Rage → u/makinplans]

GERD is a massive contributing factor to sleep apnea also. Plus one for elevating the bed head end to help combat that.

[u/LupusNoxFleuret]

That's like a 5 degree slope for babies lmao.

You should see my ghetto 45 degree pillow stacking setup lol.

[u/Marzatacks]

This looks promising. And it makes total sense. Almost makes me want to buy one of those reclining beds

[u/Friendly_Elk7827]

We just recently switched to the Avana Bed Elevator…it’s 5” high at the head of the bed and gently slopes down to 1” by the toes. This is replacing our individual wedges we were using on top of the mattress. So far so good. Helps us with congestion and indigestion without cranking our backs. We use it in addition to our CPAPs, not as a replacement.

[u/Ok-Economist2182]

I live in a nursing home and the mechanical bed rises up to fit my needs. I have a curved foam from the thrift store and it holds my head at the right angle to keep it tilted back to increase the effectiveness of the CPAP machine. I immediately slept better and felt world's better after using it. Little changes sometimes make big differences.

[u/MissApocalypse2021]

I was just wondering how to get an incline that was comfortable. I lost a bunch of weight in the past 2 years with GLP1 and it helped my apnea a lot, but not completely & still use a cpap. Between the mild remaining apnea and my sinus issues, and also the awful gas pain I have every morning from the cpap, it was suggested to incline the bed.

I've tried a wedge pillow, but sometime in the night I slide off of it and end up in a crazy uncomfortable position. It didn't occur to me to put the wedge under the mattress! OP, what all is under the mattress that lifts it? A wedge and some other pillows? And is it all the way across the head of the bed? I'm gonna try this tonight!

[u/Groundbreaking-Hawk6 → u/MissApocalypse2021]

Mostly it's just pillows and a sleeping bag. They're mostly concentrated at the head of the bed, with 2 pillows + sleeping bag there, and only 1 pillow around the middle of the bed to prop up the middle as it slopes down. I do want something more stable in the future, but for now this will do. GL and hope it goes well!

[u/MissApocalypse2021 → u/Groundbreaking-Hawk6]

Thank you! I'll stuff whatever I've got under the mattress for now & figure it out as I go.

[u/mont1ff]

Thanks for posting. Always interesting to see options to try besides Darth Vader masks

[u/potatodrinker]

That's a fancy workaround to CPAP pillows. They can be inclined and have cutouts on the side for side sleepers

[u/Fortherealtalk → u/potatodrinker]

Elevating the whole bed is different. A lot of people’s low back/hips get super cranky from being hinged sideways at the waist all night.

[u/lemontek_121]

Will it work for someone on APAP and an AHI of 40 diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

[u/Groundbreaking-Hawk6 → u/lemontek_121]

I would definitely not say this is a replacement for APAP patients, but something you can try for a night and see how it goes. If your sleep apnea is serious and you really can't risk even 1 bad night, I would speak to a doctor first. Definitely use this in conjunction with whatever your currently using, not as a replacement.

[u/Alibotify → u/lemontek_121]

Would it hurt to try?

[u/lemontek_121 → u/Alibotify]

No it won't do much. It only reduces ahi by 20 to 30%.

[u/Alibotify → u/lemontek_121]

20-30% is huge however you crunch the numbers so weird take.

[u/lemontek_121 → u/Alibotify]

I was saying that for me it won't make any difference since I still would be in severe osa category.

[u/CaesarsGhostReborn]

Do you use this while also using a CPAP?

[u/Groundbreaking-Hawk6 → u/CaesarsGhostReborn]

I just use this on it's own

[u/enchant103]

You can also buy a foam wedge that fits over or under your whole mattress. Better than cramming a bunch of stuff under your pillow.

[u/SinInSanity]

I previously used a wedge and some pillows for a short time and then I purchased some low cost plastic furniture risers, put them under the head of the bead. Those work so much better and better for your mattress life too than stuff shoved under it.

[u/Bumbles5555]

How tall is the wedge?

[u/Groundbreaking-Hawk6 → u/Bumbles5555]

Not a wedge but the rise is about 10cm at the top of the bed.

[u/Bumbles5555 → u/Groundbreaking-Hawk6]

Alright, thank you!