Does propping up your head reduce obstructive events?

[Dave007]

I use 1 pillow at night with my ASV machine and wondering if using 2 or 3 pillows to prop myself up would reduce the obstructive events I have? (I can breath fine through my nose but its somewhere in my throat that has obstruction).

Anyone have experience on this?

[Darth Lady]

I expect that sleeping with your head elevated might reduce your AHI, although that would depend on your anatomy and any other underlying factors contributing to your particular apnea.

The very fact that they make you sleep flat in sleep studies would seem to indicate an expectation that you get more events flat than elevated. In my latest sleep study (retitration) the tech asked me, in the middle of the night, to give up my bed wedge and sleep flat. I simply told him (mask and all), "No!" . I never sleep flat normally anyway!

Stacking pillows is much less effective than a bed wedge. These come in several different heights, depending on how much you want to elevate your upper body. Mine is either 10 or 12 inches; can't remember offhand. There are other benefits to elevating your upper body, particularly reducing reflux if you have it (and a lot of apnea sufferers do).

I doubt very much whether raising your head would completely resolve sleep apnea. I'd definitely keep using your machine. It's possible that you might require less pressure to achieve good results.

[Julie]

If using more pillows causes your head to crunch towards your chest, it'll close up your airway even more... which is why we often suggest using a soft cervical collar to keep your head up and airway more open (also helps keep your mouth closed).

[chunkyfrog]

A too-thick pillow just GIVES me pain. My neck is short.
Wearing a soft neck collar helps some people, but not enough to replace cpap.
---and not everybody!

[Hopefullady]

What Julie said.

Putting the head back, not forward, would open up the airway more.

This could be accomplished by rolling up a thick towel and placing under nape of neck if sleeping on back, or similar fixes your brain comes up with.

What helped me is looking at some photos online of what happens in the throat with sleep apnea. It showed me just what closes in the throat and where.