If you’re considering CPAP therapy for your sleep apnea, one of the things you should realize is that it will take a certain amount of adjustment on your part. After all, you’ll be learning to sleep with a mask attached to your face and a hose trailing from it to a machine close by. It’s not a natural situation.

Wearing a mask means that you’ll need to keep your head in a more or less stationary position throughout the night so it won’t slip or leak. And if you’re the type that tosses and turns during sleep, the mask will definitely cramp your style. Still, there’s something you can do to make yourself more comfortable and that is to invest in a CPAP pillow.

All CPAP supplies are important pieces in your treatment solution so none should be minimized. Your CPAP machine is the workhorse in the group. Your mask is vital because it must fit properly in order for your machine to be effective. But a proper pillow with built-in contours for your mask and hose is vital too. It can make your transition into therapy sleep a lot easier and it can help you keep to your therapy schedule too.

Almost all CPAP patients must learn to sleep in “new” positions. For some that means un-learning decades of sleep habits and that can be extremely challenging. It could take weeks for someone to get comfortable in these new positions and when you add a CPAP mask to the equation, it becomes harder still.

With the proper pillow though, everything is placed in a comfortable position. The neck and shoulders are supported in such a way so that the weight of the mask and hose are balanced. That balance keeps the forehead and face from rotating down, into the pillow and allows the mask to do its work properly.
Most CPAP pillows are denser than normal pillows. They’re heavier too. And they’re also more expensive – but they tend to last longer than your everyday pillow so there is a good trade-off. If you’re already receiving or are about to begin CPAP therapy, give these pillows a look. You’ll be glad you did.