Pillows to promote side sleep

[charlestek]

I just had a sleep study that found my optimum pressure to be between 16-20 cmH20, after previously being around 12. Despite the higher pressure, my machine has been recording higher leakage than I'd like and AHI's averaging over 20. The Sleep doctor felt that since I always sleep on my back, that I should try to do something to force my sleeping on the side. I've read somewhere about the tennis ball stuff in some container sewn on the back, using a backpack, etc. The doctor also said to try to get some pillows to help keep me on my side. I have some wedge pillows that I got a long time ago and never used, I was thinking about putting the wedge sideways under my back to help push me on my side, but don't know if that will work. Any other suggestions or pointers to other threads discussing this would be welcome.

Thanks.

[Pugsy]

Back in my experimenting days I tried a few things to see if staying off my back made any huge differences.
Wedge foam thingy would slide out from underneath me. Pretty much useless. Same thing with regular bed pillow wall. I refused to do the tennis ball thing. My sleep is so fragile I didn't want to be waking up every time I rolled onto my back with discomfort from the tennis balls.

What I did have some luck with and found it very comfortable was use of a buckwheat pillow propped up against my back. One pillow was not quite enough height though. I often thought a second buckwheat pillow would be perfect or a large buckwheat body pillow might work. The weight of the hulls limits the pillow from sliding out from underneath the body and it is quite comfortable to lean against. I saw no sense in waking up repeatedly from the discomfort of a back pack or tennis balls. Just my opinion. Rather counter productive when the goal is uninterrupted sleep.

As it turned out I wasn't particularly worse on my back and since I am worse in REM sleep I just let the APAP take care of things. So I didn't complete that experiment.

[BleepingBeauty]

A couple of suggestions:

https://www.officialsidesleeperpro.com/ $20 (less $5 "special internet offer"), and a 30-day money back deal. Typical "as seen on TV" schlock, but it might work.

Or there's this one (more expensive, but appears to be far more substantial): http://www.sidesleepingpillow.com/

Or you could buy a piece of quality foam and use a good carving knife to make your own.

[Guest]

I hate websites like that first one, sidesleeperpro, that bring up panels that can't be dismissed when you try to close the tab. You should have warned us about that. (I didn't click on the second one, naturally.)

[BleepingBeauty]

I hate websites like that first one, sidesleeperpro, that bring up panels that can't be dismissed when you try to close the tab. You should have warned us about that. (I didn't click on the second one, naturally.)

Exactly what part of Typical "as seen on TV" schlock escaped your little brain? Maybe you need more oxygen at night...

I just love it when "Guests" post their snide commentary here.

[Guest]

I hate websites like that first one, sidesleeperpro, that bring up panels that can't be dismissed when you try to close the tab. You should have warned us about that. (I didn't click on the second one, naturally.)

Exactly what part of Typical "as seen on TV" schlock escaped your little brain? Maybe you need more oxygen at night...

I just love it when "Guests" post their snide commentary here.

Hey, Bleeper, the context was:
Typical "as seen on TV" schlock, but it might work.

Apparently you were referring to the product, not the website. Now you want to recast it as being about the website, not the product. Sorry, no sale.

[BleepingBeauty]

Hey, Bleeper, the context was:
Typical "as seen on TV" schlock, but it might work.

Apparently you were referring to the product, not the website. Now you want to recast it as being about the website, not the product. Sorry, no sale.

Run along now, Larry, and try to do something productive with your life. Oh, and quit impersonating me in the chat room, loser.

[charlestek]

I think the head pillow is the least of the problem. The issue is how to prevent the rest of my 6'4" body from flipping on my back. I'm thinking of a large heavy backed entire length thing to keep me on my side.

[BleepingBeauty]

I think the head pillow is the least of the problem. The issue is how to prevent the rest of my 6'4" body from flipping on my back. I'm thinking of a large heavy backed entire length thing to keep me on my side.

Didn't know you were such a big guy. In that case, I'd try the wedge you already have, and add a heavy buckwheat-hull pillow (or two, if need be) on top of it to keep it in place and discourage you from rolling onto your back.

FWIW, supine sleep is always pooh-pooh'd for us hoseheads because most people do have more events in that position, but some of us DO sleep on our backs and get very effective therapy. I started back-sleeping when my shoulders were painful and I couldn't sleep on either side. I've since had two surgeries, am still sleeping on my back, and I'm doing fine with my therapy.

Do you, by chance, have an APAP? An auto-titrating machine can accommodate different pressure needs for different sleep positions.

[charlestek]

I have a Resmed S8 AutoSet, but I'm not sure that the autoset setting is accurate.

I'm trying to get the insurance to cover a Resmed VPap.