A sleeping wedge will boost your sleep ability so that you can operate at your optimum level. Think about all the things you could accomplish each day if you woke up rested and refreshed. A sleeping wedge can help make that a reality.

Do you always have a slight (or severe) stuffy nose? Do you snore? Suspect sleep apnea? What about acid reflux? Even the mildest form of any of these symptoms effects your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. You may even be experiencing such mild symptoms that you aren’t even consciously aware that you are experiencing them at all! This would cause you to have interrupted sleep and be unaware of the cause.

Today, where busyness is king, it is essential to maximize your time and use it well. That starts with maximizing the time that you set aside to sleep. Your body needs productive sleep for your brain and body to function at peak performance.

So, let’s get into why a sleeping wedge can help you make your sleep time efficient.

A sleeping wedge will help clear your sinuses

Have you ever had difficulty sleeping due to sinus pressure? Are your allergies so bad that you always have a borderline stuffy nose? Sleeping with an incline wedge can be very beneficial in these instances.

We’ve all noticed that sinus pressure gets worse at night. As the night goes on, the pressure gets worse and worse until your body finally wakes you up. This is because when you lie flat, gravity causes mucus to accumulate in your sinuses. This accumulation of mucus is not only painful, but it also increases the chances of developing a sinus infection.

Instead of tossing and turning, use a sleeping wedge to elevate your head slightly. This slight head elevation relieves sinus pressure and mucus accumulation. It does this by allowing gravity to help drain the mucus out of your sinuses. If mucus can’t accumulate, your sinuses will have less irritation. There is also less of a chance of developing a sinus infection.

A bed wedge pillow can help with snoring and sleep apnea

Snoring and sleep apnea have something in common. They can both be caused by the same thing. And as luck would have it, a sleeping wedge can help.

A common reason that snoring and sleep apnea occur is because gravity collapses the structures and soft tissues that make up the airway. This collapse causes obstruction and results in less oxygen being transported to your brain. It also results in snoring.

A simple way to minimize this obstruction is to elevate your head and upper body with a bed wedge pillow. Elevating your head on a sleeping wedge will decrease gravity’s ability to narrow your airway. This is a simple and cost-effective way to breath easier and sleep better.

A sleeping wedge can help with acid reflux

In addition to helping with snoring and sleep apnea, a bed wedge pillow can also help with acid reflux. Did you know that approximately 60% of people with sleep apnea also have chronic acid reflux (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease).

GERD occurs when gastric acid from the stomach chronically backflows past the lower esophageal sphincter and gets into the esophagus. When stomach acid gets into the esophagus, it is extremely uncomfortable. Thankfully, elevating your torso on a wedge pillow can decrease the occurrence of acid reflux and prevent GERD.

A sleeping wedge is a versatile tool that improves your sleep for many different reasons.

-Bryan Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy