The Significance of the Sleep Apnea Pillow

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: General
Dated: 24 Jul 2011
Comments: 0

Apnea is observed as a cessation of breath of about a few seconds during sleep. It usually happens to a person who snores. These pauses can take place for about 5 to 30 times or more in an hour. This may be considered as one of the sleeping deficiencies. Actually the person having apnea while asleep can rarely notice of having cessation of breath.

There are classifications of apnea and the most common is obstructive sleep apnea. During sleep the muscle tone of the whole body relaxes, and usually it includes the airway muscles which collapse when asleep and results to obstruction of breathing which causes apnea. Scientifically speaking during the episodes of apnea there will be alteration of the respiration and blood oxygen flow. For mild sleep apnea, treatment might not be important, but for chronic severe obstructive sleep apnea, treatment may be needed to prevent low blood oxygen flow. Obstructive sleep apnea is common to people who are overweight, but it can happen to anyone.

The most common type of apnea is the central sleep apnea. This can occur when that part of the brain that takes charge of the breathing fails to send the accurate signals to the breathing muscles and this can bring about pause in breathing for short periods. Although it can occur alone, central sleep apnea usually occurs with obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring is not often seen in central sleep apnea.

There are a lot of remedies to avoid snoring which also prevent sleep apnea. But the most common non-invasive remedy is the sleep apnea pillow which is made especially for people who snore. More often this is called as the non-invasive snoring aid. The function of this sleep apnea pillow is to avert the person to roll on his back since snoring is more detected when sleeping on his back. This pillow supports the person’s neck area and keeps the person on his side to lessen air passage blockage and minimizing snoring and consequently reducing the sleep apnea as well.

There are different kinds of sleep apnea pillow and it can all give comfort during sleep and most importantly, to help reduce snoring. There is a variety of colors and sizes to choose from but the most common of them is white. They have different filling materials but there covers must always be made of anti allergy material.

 

The Ultimate CPAP Pillow

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Sleep Apnea Breathing Machine
Dated: 14 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

Sleep Apnea is a serious condition that causes the patient to stop breathing for short periods throughout the night. It keeps the patient from getting a good night sleep but it also has more serious repercussions. It has been estimated that 104 people die each day from sleep apnea related cardiovascular disease. It is also estimated that there are 18 million sleep apnea sufferers in the United States and only 10 – 15% are even diagnosed. Even more significant is that those who comply with their treatment may only be 40% of those who were prescribed treatment.
Admittedly, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is difficult to get used to. It requires the sleep apnea patient to wear a mask while sleeping that provides a pressurized airflow. Pillows are often a hindrance to using the mask for the CPAP sufferer. The problem is not as significant when sleeping on one’s back but many people prefer to sleep on their sides. This is difficult with a normal bed pillow and a CPAP machine. The pillow will often push against the mask of the CPAP aparatus putting pressure on the mask and face of the wearer. This will cause discomfort but more importantly it can break the seal of the mask making treatment ineffective.
A new patent pending pillow to help eliminate these problems for CPAP users is now available. The designer of this pillow is a CPAP user himself so he is very aware of the issues and problems associated with sleeping with the CPAP mask. He knows the difficulty of getting used to the CPAP machine and he determined to eliminate more complications from rectangular pillows placed on the CPAP wearer.
Key in this specially designed CPAP pillow is the strategic shape to eliminate the pressure on the mask from the pillow when sleeping on one’s side while wearing a CPAP mask. This pillow is contoured in the shape of a butterfly to effectively eliminate pressure caused by a rectangular pillow. The Psyche Pillow is an attractive pillow unlike other CPAP pillows that are scooped out rectangular pillows. The neck support is also an important design feature. Whether the user is sleeping on her side or her back, proper neck support is important in comfort and in providing clear air passageways for breathing.
The pillow is made from a very high quality, American memory foam. Cheaper memory foam from overseas did not meet the quality, longevity and comfort standards like quality foam made in the United States. The inventor strongly supports products made in the U.S. Therefore he has used high quality materials made in the U.S.
CPAP users are also concerned about managing the hose connected to the CPAP mask. A hose that gets tangled or flops around at night is a bother to the apnea sufferer and to his or her partner. Therefore this pillow was designed to hold the hose securely enough not to get tangled or to be a nuisance but it holds the hose loosely enough for the sleeper to move comfortably.
Finally the pillow was designed with an advanced quilted wicking material to minimize heat and perspiration on warm nights while remaining warm and comfortable on cool nights. This pillow also by design helps to manage the body temperature and perspiration of the sleepers face.
If you or someone you love is a CPAP user, you know or need to know the importance of following through with CPAP treatment. There are serious health problems associated with untreated sleep apnea which can shorten the life of the sufferer and diminish his or her quality of life as well. The designer of the Psyche CPAP Pillow decided that something as simple as a pillow should not stand in the way of effective treatment. This pillow is already getting outstanding praise. See what others are saying, purchase this pillow or learn more about it at the website below.

Sleep Apnea Treatment – Averting the Risks

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Cures For Sleep Apnea
Dated: 5 Dec 2009
Comments: 0

Treatment is not only done to correct your sleep disorder, it is also done to prevent serious health risks. There are numerous complications that can develop from the said condition, which makes treatment vital.

Health Risks

The health risks of the condition are as follows:

1. Hypertension

2. Cardiac Problems

3. Mental Stress

4. Accidents

5. Fatigue

Sleep Apnea Treatment

Following a polysomnography or sleep test, the appropriate sleep apnea treatment will be prescribed. Despite these treatments’s ability to cure sleep apnea, they unfortunately come with side effects.

1. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)

-      The most popular method of treatment

-      Pumps air through a mask to keep the muscles in the airway from over relaxing.

-      Expensive piece of equipment

-      Causes uncomfortable and irritating side effects

2. Dental Device

-      One of the most widely used method of treatment

-      Worn to prevent the disorder’s symptoms

-      Expensive oral device

-      Causes uncomfortable and painful side effects

3. Surgery

-      Last course of action, if all else fails

-      Corrects or removes obstructions in the throat, nose, or jaw.

-      Expensive procedure

-      Painful recovery

-      Risky

Sleep Apnea Treatment Alternatives

Despite the health risks, there are a lot of people who opt not to undergo the side effects of the more popular sleep apnea treatments. For more and more people, the alternatives are gaining in popularity. These alternatives cause no negative side effects.

1. Song Therapy

-      Strong airway muscles develop from singing

-      Requires a significant amount of commitment

2. Didgeridoo Therapy

-      Strong airway muscles develop from blowing through this ancient Australian wind instrument

-      Does not require much practice

3. Correcting Your Sleeping Position

-      Avoid sleeping on your back

-      Sleeping on your side prevents the symptoms of the condition

4. Sleep Apnea Pillow

-      Prevents the sleep disorder’s symptoms

-      Can be used in almost any sleeping position

-      Promotes a full night’s and comfortable sleep

5. Changing Your Lifestyle

-      Obesity is one of the major causes of the condition

-      Eating right and exercise will prevent obesity

-      Other than preventing the condition, a healthy lifestyle will also enhance your overall health and wellbeing

The risks that develop from the said condition are serious, which cannot be taken for granted. Undergoing sleep apnea treatment will be a decision well made.

When to Try a Sleep Apnea Pillow And Why They Work!

Posted by Apnea
Categorized Under: Snoring
Dated: 25 Dec 2008
Comments: 0

As professionals better understand the problem, there are more and more solutions being offered.An option might be a sleep apnea pillow as they are becoming more well known.

You’ve probably already heard the term sleep apnea, which refers to the stoppage of breathing during sleep.There’s different reasons why this can happen but similar to snoring it may happen if a person sleeps on his/her back and his/her mouth falls open.  This can cause the tongue to fall over the throat and block the air passages or the fatty tissue in the back of the mouth to do the same.  A  sleep apnea pillow is designed to keep a person from sleeping on their back so that these conditions don’t occur.

Many patients who snore or who have sleep apnea have been told to put a tennis ball into the back of their pajamas so that when they roll onto their back, this discomfort causes them to go back onto their side.Just imagine how painful this can be!A sleep apnea pillow is capable of holding the head and back in a comfortable position since it is a large foam type pillow.  There are many different varieties from which to choose; some are like regular pillows and wrap around the head and neck to keep it from turning.

Another type of sleep apnea pillow is one that wraps around the midsection and back to keep a person sleeping on their side.It has the same effect as the tennis ball method but it is far more comforting.At the end of the day would you rather have a cold hard tennis ball digging into your back or a soft and firm sleep apnea pillow sleep apnea pillow supporting you.Most people prefer the pillow!  It won’t interrupt your sleep and will keep you comfortable all night as well.

Another different kind of sleep apnea pillow interfaces with a CPAP machine.  This pillow has inserts in which you can nestle the hoses for the CPAP machine, making it easier and more comfortable to use.  If you use a CPAP machine you may want to consider a sleep apnea pillow with it as well to keep you comfortable and the hoses out of your way.