View CartYou're currently on:
How to Relieve Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that can contribute to other medical complications and should be treated by your medical professional. In addition to the right mattress and pillow, there are other medical treatments available for sleep apnea including the CPAP (CONTINUOUS POSITIVE AIR PRESSURE) mask which keeps the airway open with the continuous flow of air. This article is not intended as medical advice and medical care and attention for serious conditions such as sleep apnea are the only way to prevent complications and additional medical conditions.
The supportive, contour creating high density foam is made to warm to the body’s temperature and create a comfortable night’s sleep without the pressure point contact injury that occurs with traditional or old fashioned spring mattresses.
Memory foam has also been found in some cases to reduce the common aggravations of sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea. For people with sleep apnea, breathing breaks or pauses while sleeping. Many sleep apnea sleepers also snore, but not all people who snore have sleep apnea according to the London Sleep Council . Memory foam can help reduce some of the obstructions that increase problems for the sleeper. For most sleep apnea suffers, the condition is made worse if they sleep flat on their back, the position of the throat obstructs the airway and the breaks and pauses of breathing increase. The condition can be improved in some cases by sleeping on your side. Spring mattresses can be very uncomfortable for side sleeping as the hips make pressure point contact with the springs. Memory foam mattresses allow the sleeper to switch to sleeping on their side, without the pressure contact from traditional spring mattresses. The soft contour allows the sleeper to be supported even during side sleeping, but has none of the discomfort, so they are more likely to stay on their side during the night.
Memory foam pillows are also designed to support the spinal alignment of the sleeper. This reduces the airway block that occurs on traditional pillows that collapse or are flatten from lack of support. The memory foam pillow holds its shape, and the contour design (the wave design style contour pillow) is designed especially to keep the spine and neck in proper alignment to keeping the airway unobstructed.
The memory foam mattress allows for smooth transition as the visco elastic foam warms from the body heat, the foam softens and allows the contours to smooth on transition. The result is a smoother surface, less tossing and body shifting and a smoother nights sleep. For the sleep apnea sleeper this can mean a reduction in the times that they shift to a position that obstructs the airway.
Memory foam mattresses come in a wide range of sizes, styles and construction designs. Many memory foam mattresses are also great for relief of other health conditions such as allergy relief as the memory foam mattress is hypo-allergenic, allergen free and dust mite resistant. New process improvements using alternative materials instead of petroleum based products have reduced any fumes from new mattresses. Some memory foam manufacturers are switching to eco-friendly materials to provide sustainable products using environmentally safe materials in factories that use less waste and are more environmentally conscious.
Whether you are looking for relief from health conditions like sleep apnea,
fibromyalgia, arthritis or chronic pain, the memory foam mattress can create
contoured support, comfortable and a healthy night’s sleep.
References
Sleep Apnea Foundation - http://www.sleepapnea.org/
London Sleep Council - http://www.sleepcouncil.com/
Medline Plus - Obstructive Sleep Apnea http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000811.htm
