Apnea and Mattresses

Last week I took the first trip away from home with my Auto Bipap. For the last few weeks before the trip the AHI reported by the smart card (and Encore Pro 2.2) was always below 5. I was away (2 time zones difference) for five days. I didn't sleep all that well. When I got home I read the smart card and I was having AHI's of 10 or 11. Even though I got home late that night I slept fairly well, and the next morning I had an AHI of 3.7 with 0 obstructive apneas. The next night (last night) was 4.3. One big difference (besides being more comfortable being at home) is that I have a memory foam mattress at home which I bought almost two years ago when I realized that my old mattress needed replacing. The hotel where I was staying had some sort of conventional mattress. So could a memory foam mattress make such a big difference in apneas (on the plus side)?

Maybe....but the pillows may have been more instrumental in the difference. How your neck was situated with the pillow might have added to higher #'s of events if your throat was closed off more. Your pillows at home are 'broken in', so to speak, with your constant use and positioning. Just my 2 cents worth, but pillows sure do make a difference!

I've had to put away my last two new pillows, because they were just too lofty.
Still using the old, mashed-down one.
I guess I'll have to make room for it when I travel.

One of my dreams is to have a memory foam mattress. I wonder if the fact that they're so comfy means you relax more, which changes the tension in your facial muscles. Just a thought.

I always take my buckwheat pillow with my when I travel. Can't imagine trying to have effective therapy without it.

brazospearl wrote:One of my dreams is to have a memory foam mattress. I wonder if the fact that they're so comfy means you relax more, which changes the tension in your facial muscles. Just a thought.

I always take my buckwheat pillow with my when I travel. Can't imagine trying to have effective therapy without it.

I think that it was worth it -- even though it was expensive. I've had mine for 1 1/2 years. Before I got it I was waking up with pains in my legs just below my knees. After sleeping on it for only a few days, the pains went away and haven't come back.

Try out the memory foam mattress first before you buy. During my first sleep study I started out in a room with a bed with a memory foam mattress. No matter what I tried I could NOT get comfortable in that bed! Thankfully the sleep lab wasn't full and I was able to change to a room with a standard mattress. It was a miserable night, but at least I was able to get to sleep for a few hours.

BusyLyn wrote:Try out the memory foam mattress first before you buy. During my first sleep study I started out in a room with a bed with a memory foam mattress. No matter what I tried I could NOT get comfortable in that bed! Thankfully the sleep lab wasn't full and I was able to change to a room with a standard mattress. It was a miserable night, but at least I was able to get to sleep for a few hours.

It should have been obvious to me, but I admit to making a similar mistake. I purchased a used memory foam mattress (a good tempurpedic one), but could never get comfortable laying on it let alone falling asleep on it. Weeks or months later, I realized it had in all likelyhood remembered the weight distribution patterns of the person who had owned it before me. I cut it up for packing material for a few computers & assorted periperhals I needed to have shipped, and it worked well enough for that. But memory foam wouldn't be my choice for a sleep lab due to patient turnover and its memory.

i spent a few days at a friend's house where there was a 3 inch memory foam pad. I got the best ahi scores ever and I have been wondering if that made the difference between ahi of 1.6 and 10.5 (at home)
I looked on amazon and found a Serta 4 in at a reasonable price. I dont think I can afford the real Tempurpedic. what are the off brands taht have been tried that work well? I dont want to spend a lot of $ for junk....would be better off with no foam
thanks

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/E. ... rcmndsrc=2

This is the topper we have on our bed(King), made all the difference. My husband has a hip injury with many surgeries and with memory foam he sunk into a hole and could not turn over easily. The latex feels great for both of us and is just firm enough. I got this tip from several forum members here.

I have a latex (not "memory") foam mattress. I love it!!! I purchased mine here: http://www.flobeds.com/latex/index.htm. Not cheap, but well worth it!

Mine is the 11-1/4 inch Talalay latex mattress, which is covered with 100% organic cotton EuroKnit quilted to a layer of 100% EcoWool. A 2-inch Convoluted Latex topper sits atop three individual layers of latex. The density of each latex layer was chosen for my particular needs. There is a 20-year warranty (5 years 100%, 5 years 75%, 5 years 50%, 5 years 25%). When it comes time to replace the individual latex layers, I will either purchase them from FloBeds or elsewhere (where they are less expensive). The mattress case unzips fully for easy replacement or rearranging of the latex layers.

I also have a sheepskin mattress pad. This bed is SO comfortable. It "breathes" well, and there are no pressure points. I feel like I'm sleeping on a cloud! There are also latex toppers available. DoriC gave the link to one source.

DreamOn wrote:I have a latex (not "memory") foam mattress. I love it!!! I purchased mine here: http://www.flobeds.com/latex/index.htm. Not cheap, but well worth it!

Can people with latex allergies use them?

Thanks for the input, BusyLyn. I've already had the pleasure of sleeping on memory foam on several different occasions. I've not noticed any problems with overheating, and I'm pretty persnickety about temperature. I'm thinking I might go with a topper, though, just in case the getting-too-hot monster rears its ugly head.

I also appreciate the input. I'll probably go with a topper since there is no way I could afford the other!!
Many thanks for the leads.

SpyvsSpy wrote:

DreamOn wrote:I have a latex (not "memory") foam mattress. I love it!!! I purchased mine here: http://www.flobeds.com/latex/index.htm. Not cheap, but well worth it!

Can people with latex allergies use them?

I am certainly no expert on the subject, but this information may answer your questions regarding whether the latex mattress can be used by people with an allergy to latex: http://www.flobeds.com/latexallergies.htm. Keep in mind that this is information provided by the latex manufacturer. There is no latex that touches your skin since it is enclosed in a zippered fabric case. You (or someone else) would have to handle the latex when putting the bed together, though. I did not notice any "offgassing" at all, unlike my experience with memory foam.