Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Memory Foam.

It’s estimated that about 20 million people in the USA alone suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). And, it’s been reported that memory foam mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows have helped some people find relief from this condition. People who suffer from OSA momentarily stop breathing in their sleep. These episodes prevent OSA sufferers from sustaining a restful and restorative sleep.

OSA can be caused by body, neck or head positioning, reclining elevation, fat deposits and possibly a number of other factors. The interruptions to breathing that are experienced by OSA sufferers can occur as often as 30 to 40 times an hour. Some people with OSA have it for years and are not aware of their exact condition. They only know they don’t sleep well, but are unaware of why.

There are special foam memory pillows available for OSA-related problems that are designed for side sleeping. It’s been found that sleeping on one’s side helps to reduce extra weight on the chest. Side sleeping can also provide a better alignment of internal air passages for proper breathing. Unfortunately, many OSA sufferers find side-sleeping uncomfortable. This is especially true for overweight individuals, who are often the most susceptible to developing the OSA condition. Memory foam mattresses or mattress toppers can help alleviate the pressure points that make side sleep uncomfortable. By eliminating pressure points and their accompanying effects which disturb sleep, some sleep apnea victims are able to use the side-sleep pillows for relief. Consequently, the sleeper experiences less tossing and turning from their apnea condition, and less tossing and turning caused by pressure points.

Another key benefit of memory foam is it’s ability to keep the spine aligned properly during sleep. By supporting all body parts evenly without pressure, memory foam can eliminate the “sagging” that causes misaligned vertebrae and back pain. For people with OSA, the coddling support of memory foam keeps both the spine and airway aligned, and thereby enables air to travel more easily. Some apnea episodes can be simply caused by contorted, almost unnatural body positioning that happens as a result of frequent tossing and turning activity. Memory foam has proven to help many OSA sufferers avoid these types of annoying and disturbing episodes.