Wedge Pillow Articles

It’s no secret that asthma attacks at night prevent you from getting a good night’s rest. Here is why an asthma pillow wedge can improve your ability to sleep through the night.

Nocturnal asthma

Nocturnal asthma occurs when asthma attacks happen during the night. These sleep disrupting attacks are characterized by coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness. Because sleep is affected, sufferers are often plagued by fatigue and lethargy during the day.

Why does nocturnal asthma occur?

There are several reasons that may explain why asthma attacks occur at night. When we sleep, mucous builds up in our sinuses and our airways typically narrow. For someone with asthma, the combination of these two factors may trigger an asthma event. 

Additionally, when we lie flat, our lung volume decreases, and our airway resistance increases. This means that our lungs take in less air and our airway is up against greater resistance. This combination can making breathing even more difficult for someone with asthma.

Sleeping with an asthma pillow wedge

Individuals who suffer from nightly asthma attacks can benefit from sleeping elevated on an asthma pillow wedge. Sleeping elevated does several things. First, it increases the body’s ability to drain mucous. Instead of mucous building up in the sinuses overnight, sleeping on a wedge uses gravity to help the mucous drain out of the sinuses. This makes breathing easier.

Sleeping on an asthma wedge also helps to open the chest and lessen airway restriction. When you elevate your torso, it lessens gravity's ability to restrict your airway. This positional change can decrease the triggering of coughing attacks and wheezing.

Which asthma wedge do I choose?

Ten inches is the ideal height for an asthma pillow wedge for most adults. If you feel like you would benefit from sleeping even more upright, go ahead and get a twelve-inch asthma wedge. Either way, the effects of gravity on your chest will be lessened, and your ability to drain mucous will be improved, resulting in easier breathing.

If you are looking for a sleep solution for a child who suffers from nocturnal asthma, try a seven-inch asthma pillow wedge. This incline is ideal for a child. It positions them in a way that minimizes gravity’s effects on their chest while keeping them comfortable during the night.

Look for an asthma wedge pillow that is CertiPur-US® certified. Foams that bear this rigorous certification are free from ozone depleters, flame retardants, mercury, lead, and other heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and they meet the standards for low VOC (volatile organic compound emissions for indoor air quality). Because these foams are made free of these harmful ingredients, you can feel good about bringing them into your home.

Additionally, be sure to get at least 2 wedge pillow pillowcases and 1 additional cover for your asthma pillow wedge. It is important to frequently wash your wedge pillowcases and covers to keep them free from allergens and asthma triggers. Having additional cases and covers will ensure that you can always have a clean case and cover on your asthma wedge.

An asthma pillow wedge will empower you to sleep better. When you do something that helps you sleep better, you feel better and live better.

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A foam wedge for bed is just one of the many tools that can help you sleep on an incline. We would argue that it’s the best, and here is why.

Economical

A foam wedge for bed is the most economical way to elevate. The highest quality foam wedge pillow is much less expensive than a hospital bed, electronically adjustable bed, or a recliner. While a fully functional hospital bed may not be a practical option for you to purchase, a high quality wedge pillow is very practical. And since a top of the line foam wedge for bed helps you accomplish the same elevation goals that an adjustable bed does, why not choose the less expensive option?

Versatile

The versatility a foam wedge for bed offers is second to none. They come in different sizes and can be used for many different purposes. There are contoured incline wedges for side sleepers and triangle wedges for back sleepers. Back sleepers also have the option of choosing a 7 inch, 10 inch, and/or a 12 inch wedge, depending on whichever is most comfortable for them.

Foam leg wedges come contoured or triangular depending on your individual needs and preference. They also come in short or long depending on the length of your legs. Pro tip, leg wedges topped with memory foam add additional comfort to leg elevation.

You can also individually tailor your wedge system to your body. For example, do you have acid reflux, sleep on your back, and have long legs? Then you need a 7-inch, triangle, upper body wedge, and a long, triangular shaped, leg wedge. The personalization options are limitless!

Practical

Foam wedge pillows are practical. Rather than choose an expensive, electronic bed that you are stuck with even if you don’t love it, a foam wedge can easily be changed out. It is easy to purchase a variety of wedges to be used for different purposes and at different times.

Foam wedges are also easy to maintain. Be sure to look for high quality foam wedge pillows with specially made pillowcases and covers. This makes washing and cleaning a breeze. Easy maintenance increases the longevity of your purchase.

After weighing the options, it’s hard to argue with the fact that a foam wedge for bed is the best overall investment you can make to elevate your body.

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A wedge pillow for sinus problems is what you need to help your sinuses drain and heal. Keep reading to learn exactly why sleeping elevated is your best bet for natural sinus healing.

Everyone has experienced it. You wake up in the morning with swollen eyes, a headache, facial pain, cranial pressure, and a stuffy nose. “Oh no,” you think. “Please don’t let this be a sinus infection.” Your symptoms get worse throughout the day, and you begin dreading going to bed that evening. You know your symptoms will just get worse during the night. Is there anything you can do?

Sleep elevated, not flat

Sleeping elevated on a wedge pillow is the easiest thing you can do to help your sinus problems during the night. When you sleep flat on your back, your nose becomes more congested. Mucous builds up in your sinus passages and makes it very difficult or near impossible to breathe through your nose. This interrupts your sleep and affects your body’s ability to heal.

On the contrary, sleeping on a wedge pillow for nasal congestion helps your sinuses drain during the night. Sleeping elevated positions your head higher than your heart. With your head elevated, gravity keeps your mucous draining. It doesn’t allow it to pool in your sinuses like it does when you sleep flat.

Sleeping on wedge pillow also improves circulation all throughout your face and head. When you sleep at an incline and allow gravity to reduce the amount of fluid in your sinuses, your sinus symptoms will decrease. There will be less fluid to cause facial pain, ringing ears, eye puffiness, and headaches. Utilizing gravity to help your head drain naturally is a huge benefit of using a wedge pillow to combat sinus problems.

The best wedge pillow for sinus congestion

The best wedge pillow for sinus congestion is a triangle wedge pillow that is 12 inches tall. Placing your regular neck pillow on top of a 12-inch triangle wedge puts your sinuses in the perfect position to drain. You’ll also want to look for a wedge pillow topped with memory foam. The memory foam will conform to and support your back for maximal comfort.

Because a 12-inch wedge pillow is fairly tall, you will likely want to sleep with a knee wedge pillow as well. This will do a couple of things. First, it will keep you from sliding down the triangle wedge during the night. Second, it puts your entire body in a neutral position and improves full body circulation. This position is ideal for healing.

A wedge pillow for sinus problems is an important tool to not only help heal your sinuses when they are sick, but also prevent sinus infections in the future!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

How do you know when to use a 12 inch wedge pillow? Here is a list of some of the most common conditions a 12 inch wedge is best for.

1. Sinus Drainage

It is a fact that sinus pressure and drainage is worse when you lie flat on your back. Many Ear, Nose, and Throat doctors recommend sleeping in a recliner for that reason. But who wants to do that? A 12 inch wedge pillow allows you to sleep in your own bed while still getting the benefits of sleeping in a recliner.

Sleeping elevated on a 12 inch wedge pillow allows your sinuses to drain throughout the night rather than build up pressure. By preventing this pressure build up, you are more likely to wake up headache free and with a clearer nose. Sleeping elevated on a 12 inch wedge promotes sinus healing and helps you sleep better.

2. Shoulder Surgery

Sleeping after shoulder surgery is tricky, but a 12 inch wedge pillow makes it way easier. After shoulder surgery, sleeping flat isn’t usually an option due to the pressure this position puts on your shoulder. It is often too painful to tolerate.

Sleeping on a 12 inch wedge pillow positions your shoulder in a way that makes sleeping much more comfortable. Place your regular neck pillow on top of your wedge for maximal comfort. If you need additional support, place a pillow under your arm to support it even more. 

3. Vertigo

After a vertigo treatment, your practitioner may recommend sleeping at a 30 degree incline. A 12 inch wedge pillow will do the trick. Sleeping in this position after a vertigo treatment positions your inner ear optimally to allow for continued rehabilitation of your vestibular system.

4. Pregnancy

As you may know, it is not recommended to sleep flat on your back during the later stages of pregnancy. But what if you love sleeping on your back? Use a 12 inch wedge pillow! A 12 inch wedge is high enough to position you comfortably and keep baby safe. Go ahead and check with your OB to make sure you don’t have other complications that would keep you from sleeping on an incline, but if not, your OB will likely give you the green light!

5. Migraines

Finally, preliminary studies have shown that sleeping at in incline can reduce the presence of migraines. This is believed to be due to the fact that sleeping on an incline increases circulation throughout your brain. This increase in circulation decreases pressure that can build up in your head overnight when sleeping flat. What a simple way to potentially improve head pain!

Most people find that sleeping on a 12 inch wedge pillow is much more comfortable when used in combination with a knee wedge pillow. Using a knee wedge will keep you from slipping down your 12 inch wedge during the night. It also works to improve full body circulation and allows your muscles to completely relax overnight.

What do you plan to use your 12 inch wedge pillow for? Leave us a comment! We would love to know!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

How do you know if a 10 inch wedge pillow is right for you? Here are some of the most common uses for a wedge with this height.

1. Reading in bed

A 10 inch wedge pillow is the perfect height for reading in bed. When you place it on its side and put your neck pillow behind your head, your back and neck are completely supported. This setup keeps you reading even longer, improving the performance of even the most avid reader.

2. Sleep Apnea/Snoring

A 10 inch wedge pillow is also the ideal height for a back sleeper who struggles with sleep apnea or snoring. When you place your regular pillow on top of the wedge, your head and neck are supported comfortably. This position also helps your throat structures stay open which can alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring.

3. Bed Transfers

If you are having difficulty getting into and out of bed due to weakness, a surgery, broken ribs or another injury, you just need a little positional advantage! A 10 inch wedge pillow is perfect for this. It keeps your upper body elevated so that it requires less strength to get into and out of bed.

4. Acid Reflux

Typically, a 7 inch wedge is recommended for acid reflux. However, if you have additional weight around your stomach, you may need a little more support in order to effectively combat the effects of GERD. This means that a 10 inch wedge pillow is right for you! The additional height will be sure to position your stomach and esophagus optimally to minimize heartburn and other reflux symptoms.

5. Breathing Difficulties

Additionally, this height of wedge can help with breathing difficulties. Sleeping on a 10 inch incline helps to open up your chest which can decrease chest tightness and open up your airways. It also helps drain your sinuses which can result in easier breathing. A 12 inch wedge pillow also helps with breathing difficulties so depending on the severity of your impairment, you may also consider a 12 inch wedge pillow.

If you slide down your 10 inch wedge pillow at night….

Sometimes, people who sleep on a 10 inch wedge pillow report that they slide down it during the night. The way to prevent this is to sleep with your legs on a knee wedge pillow! Propping your legs up not only supports your back while you sleep, it will keep you positioned properly all night on your 10 inch wedge.

Do you have other uses for a 10 inch wedge pillow? If so, leave us a comment to let us know! We would love to hear from you!

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy

We all know that a pillow for leg elevation elevates your legs. But why is leg elevation so important to your health? Here are 4 quick reasons why everyone should spend time daily on a leg elevation wedge.

1. Helps Circulation

We spend much of each day in gravity dependent positions. This means that while we are standing or sitting, our body systems are working hard to overcome the effects of gravity. The circulatory system is one such system.

First, our hearts pump blood to the outermost parts of our bodies. Then, our veins must work against gravity to get our blood back to our heart. Our precious veins work hard all day every day to return blood back to our heart. They can’t quit or take a break when they get tired.

Our veins are like machines, and all machines need care and maintenance to thrive. This is where leg elevation comes in. A pillow for leg elevation is a tool that gives your veins a much needed and much deserved break each day. When you elevate your legs on a leg elevation wedge, it is like oiling up a machine to keep it functioning optimally.

Elevating your legs on a leg elevation wedge for 15-20 minutes each day makes it easy for your veins to return blood to your heart. For those precious minutes they don’t have to fight against gravity. When you elevate, you are making gravity work for your veins, and let’s face it, they have earned a break. Plus, taking care of your veins will help them keep working for you for years to come.

2. Decreases feet and leg swelling

Sometimes, we get swelling in our legs and feet. This can be due to a surgery or trauma, a long day of sitting or standing, pregnancy, or anything else that causes decreased venous function. Regardless of the cause, increased fluid in our legs and feet is downright uncomfortable.

A pillow for leg elevation is an important tool for managing feet and leg swelling. Elevating your legs uses gravity to help blood and fluid flow more easily back to your heart. Getting fluid out of your legs helps prevent (or treat) varicose veins and decreases pain and stiffness due to swelling.

3. Alleviates back pain

Did you know that lying flat on your back could be the source of your back pain? As a physical therapist, 99.9% of the patients I treated had tight hip flexors. Honestly, it is virtually impossible for anyone to not have at least some hip flexor tightness. This means, you likely have some hip flexor tightness, and that means when you lie down flat, your hip flexors are pulling your lower back into an arch.

When your lower back is pulled into an arch, it tightens your back muscles and causes your back to feel stiff in the mornings. It also narrows the space between the vertebrae in your spine which can lead to stiffness and pain. Most people should avoid lying flat on their back for this reason.

This is why a pillow for leg elevation is essential for back sleepers. Resting your legs on a pillow for leg elevation takes away the arch in your low back. Instead of your hip flexors pulling your back into an arch, a leg elevation wedge puts them at rest. When your hip flexors are at rest, your back is at rest, and you wake up feeling limber and loose instead of stiff and sore.

4. Increases mindfulness

Are you busy? Are you tired? Are you pulled in a thousand directions? The answer is probably yes. No matter your stage of life, you are hard at work impacting the world in the best ways that you can. You have value to offer your community and are working to share your talents to make the world a better place.

Just like your physical body needs proverbial oil to keep working properly, a healthy mind also requires proverbial oil. That means you need to get out of your comfort zone and take care of yourself a little bit each day. For most people, getting out of their comfort zone means resting. Mindful rest is uncomfortable because we never do it. But mindful rest is healing for the body and for your mind.

When you take 15 minutes to elevate your legs, you are increasing your blood flow, toxins are flushing out of your body, and oxygen is being delivered to those cells that need perking up. While your body is physically restoring itself, you can also give your mind the gift of restoration. There is no better time to mentally restore than when you are physically restoring on your leg wedge.

A pillow for leg elevation stimulates mindfulness and healing. It helps your body recover physically and mentally. You give so much to the world each day, give back just a little bit to your body. That’s one thing that will keep you going for the long haul.

-Hillary Blare, Doctor of Physical Therapy