Best Beds for Sleep Apnea and Why it Matters
Why is choosing the right mattress so important if you have sleep apnea?
Although it's important to get treatment for the condition, there are some lifestyle changes you can make to ease the symptoms.
As well as losing weight and quitting smoking, many people find that changing their sleep position can alleviate the symptoms. The type of mattress that you choose can help relieve some of the symptoms – and can support your CPAP therapy.
Research indicates that sleeping on your side or tummy can reduce some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Some mattresses are designed to provide the comfort and support to maintain these positions.
However, not everyone can sleep comfortably on their side or front – as sleeping on your tummy can place a strain on the neck and back for some people, too.
Although not ideal, if you need to sleep on your back, elevating the head can help alleviate sleep apnea symptoms. Some mattresses are designed to be paired with an adjustable bed which can elevate the head.
Types of Mattresses
Some common types of mattresses suit people with sleep apnea:
Adjustable airbeds
These mattresses have air channels built into them. You can control how firm the mattress is by using a remote to decrease or increase the air to your personal requirements.
This helps people control the firmness of the mattress so that you can keep your spine aligned when sleeping on your side. These mattresses may be used with an adjustable base so that the head can be elevated. This helps relieve some of the symptoms of sleep apnea by allowing gravity to keep the airways open.
Foam mattresses
Often made from a mix of latex and memory foam, these mattresses may be more suitable for supporting you to sleep on your side or stomach. Foam mattress can feel softer, but memory foam is a firmer type of foam.
Some foam mattresses incorporate gel infused foam which helps to draw heat and sweat away from the body to keep you cooler.
Hybrid mattresses
As the name suggests, these mattresses combine soft foam and supportive coils so that you get a combination of the support from the foam, but they allow more movement through the coils.
Key Features When Choosing a Mattress
Choosing a mattress is a big decision and can be costly, too. It pays to spend time researching the best options. Some of the key things to consider apart from the obvious ones of comfort, cost and shipping options are things like:
Company guarantees:
Check the product warranty. Some companies offer 10-year warranties. Make sure that the company has a good reputation and is likely to stay in business.
Reviews: Check our compilation of reviews and have a look at online customer reviews too.
Safety: Make sure that the mattress meets all safety and manufacturing standards especially with regard to fire retardancy.
Trials: Some companies allow you to test and trial a mattress.
There are lots of informative and helpful reviews online to help you narrow down the right mattress. However, if you are suffering from information overload, we can narrow down the best mattresses chosen by some top reviewers and sleep experts:
Healthline
Healthline has selected the top mattresses for people with sleep apnea in 8 different categories:
Best hybrid mattress: Classic mattress with lineal adjustable base by Saatva
Best adjustable mattress: Solaire adjustable mattress with lineal adjustable base by Saatva
Best mattress for stomach sleepers: Plank by Brooklyn Bedding
Best mattress for side sleepers: Helix Midnight
Best affordable mattress: The Purple Original Mattress with Powerbase
Best foam mattress: The Zoma Mattress with Adjustable Bed
Best organic mattress: The Avocado Green Mattress
Best for back pain and apnea: The Personal Comfort A10 Bed
You can read more about these mattresses and their key features and benefits below.
Sleep Advisor
Sleep Advisor's recommendations include:
Best adjustable mattress: Solaire by Saatva
Best mattress for combination sleepers: Bear Hybrid
Best mattress for side sleepers: Helix Midnight Luxe
Sleep Advisor makes recommendations about the best mattress for couples, and firmness too. You can read more about their eight recommendations at the link below.
Medical News Today
Medical News Today highlights the benefits of these beds:
Best adjustable mattress: DreamCloud
Best mattress for back or stomach sleepers: Classic by Saatva
Medical News Today also provides some recommendations for memory foam mattresses and gel induced foam mattresses to help keep the body cool. Take a look at their other recommendations at the link below.
Sleep Foundation
Sleep Foundation has ranked the Helix Midnight as the best overall mattress. They also made 15 other recommendations which included the Saatva Classic again (best luxury mattress) and the DreamCloud (most comfortable mattress). Other categories included:
Best mattress for side sleepers: Softer WinkBed
Best organic mattress: Birch mattress
Like some of the other reviewers, the Sleep Foundation also makes some recommendations about the best mattresses to keep the body cooler or regulate heat. See their link below.
Final thoughts
Sleep Apnea is a distressing condition as it causes severe daytime fatigue, brain fog and a range of mental and physical conditions too. It can create a strain on the cardiovascular system causing high blood pressure and increasing the risk of heart failure.
The symptoms of sleep apnea, loud snoring and gasping noises, can place a strain on relationships as the partner's sleep can be disrupted too. No mattress can "cure" sleep apnea, but some mattresses can help reduce the symptoms.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/best-mattress-for-sleep-apnea#our-picks
https://www.sleepadvisor.org/best-mattress-for-sleep-apnea/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/best-mattresses-for-sleep-apnea#benefits
