Sleep Apnea Mouth Guard

A sleep apnea pillow helps you breathe better by ensuring that your head and neck are properly aligned while you sleep. When your head and neck are properly aligned, you have a clearer air passageway that allows you to breathe well. If you suffer from sleep apnea, a clear airway may be hard to achieve, hence the need for the pillows. These pillows are an effective remedy for snoring and breathing difficulty experienced during sleep.

There are two main types of sleep apnea, the central sleep apnea, which is caused by poor respiratory control by the brain, and obstructive apnea, which is as a result of physical blockage in the respiratory system. The latter is a mild form of apnea that is usually common amongst overweight individuals and can be easily managed in a number of ways. One of the ways to manage this is by using special physical devices designed to keep your airways open. In obstructive apnea, blockage can be as a result of the airway collapsing during sleep, or through obstruction by the tongue or sleeping posture resulting in very shallow breathing, or snoring.

Sleep apnea can lead to a number of problems, these can be:

• Sleepiness or fatigue during the day. This usually occurs depending on the level of sleep interference.
• Poor vision
• Slower response time

All these are conditions that occur as a result of sleep interference. During sleep, apnea can cause your breathing to pause for a moment or become very light, preventing the body from taking in the required amount of air, and expelling waste gas from the lungs. After this happens for what is usually a very short period of time, the body tries to hasten breathing in order to compensate for the period of light or no respiration. The result is heavier and quicker breathing which then interferes with sleep.

Sleep apnea pillow and other devices

Apnea pillows are special types of pillows, which are nothing like the regular pillows you use. They are shaped to provide the right kind of neck and head support. The best sleep apnea pillow is one that is made in the right shape, from the right kind of cushioning material and is able to provide the proper head and neck support you need. Apart from the apnea pillow alone, you can also use the following products designed to help improve respiration during sleep and prevent blockages along the respiratory system. These can be:

• Sleep apnea mouth guard

This is designed to cause a shift in the lower jaw pushing it forward enough to open the airways at the throat. There are also mouth guards that restrain the tongue and this is especially in cases where the tongue is the cause of blockage in the airway. These devices are suitable for you if you suffer from mild to moderate apnea. They are very easy to use and can be used as a solution for individuals who are not clinically obese but are experiencing apnea.

• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Mask

This is special kind of sleep apnea pillow mask is designed to also help you maintain proper breathing as you sleep. The mask is held to the face using a special headgear and is connected to a flexible tube attached to a machine on the bedside. What this machine does is to keep your airway open by delivering pressurized air through the tube.

The air goes in through your nose and into your throat keeping it open. Since such a device can cause discomfort, you can select the right mask type and size that you find most comfortable. They are available in many different sizes, shapes and are made from different materials. You can therefore find one that is comfortable enough and specifically suits you.

This mask should be used with a special type of pillow. The sleep apnea pillow wedge design stops the mask from pressing into your face. The pillow is shaped not only to allow proper head support alone, but also has an allowance for the mask and its connecting tube.

Other solutions

In order for your body to do the necessary repairs and regain the energy it needs, it is advisable that you get a minimum of seven hours of sleep every day. Sleep apnea deprives you of this. Please note that there are several other solutions to sleep apnea, these include surgery, training of the tongue muscle and even medication. However, the mouth guard and pillow are some of the most preferred due to their accessibility and ease of use