Does Raising Head of Bed Lower AHI's

[debst99]

About a week to two weeks ago, we raised the head of the bed 4 inches to help my GERD according to the doctor. I just got my last week's data printed out from DME where it says my AHI's only registered 1.00 or below, even having some 0 obstructive apneas nights. Always before that I had average AHI's 2.6. I know even that was good because it was under 5, but wouldn't it make sense since I am not laying flat on my back anymore my AHI's would decrease? I am more of a side sleeper though.

Thank you for all your responses.

[Wulfman]

I think the "connection" to be made is that the lessening of the GERD is what lowered the AHI numbers......but, raising the head of the bed apparently lowered the GERD effects. So......indirectly or directly, the raising of the head of the bed lowered your AHIs.

Den

[gasp]

We sleep on a super king that is divided so we can each incline at our optimum angle. We bought them for frequent reading - and for occasional laptop gaming marathons : ) When we first got the bed I rarely slept at an angle, but then found it reduced my snoring so began sleeping at an angle regularly. Then came the sleep study and my APAP. When I first began I wondered if an angle was still necessary.

I found I still needed to use an angle with new masks, especially if the mask leaked excessively or if my numbers were bad. I found that I could lower my AHI and reduce snoring with the mask, by increasing the angle.

Now that I have a mask that works for me, I rarely sleep at an angle and have an AHI that is regularly less than 1.

I love stretching out flat. I also wonder if it is hard on the heart over many years to pump blood to the brain against gravity.

[debst99]

Thank you Den. That makes sense.

Gasp-About being hard on the heart to pump blood to brain against gravity, wouldn't we being doing that all the time while not sleeping by standing or sitting up. Thank you for your input.

[Julie]

What I'd like to know is if anyone out there is a total stomach sleeper who managed to raise the bed and not a) slide down to the bottom, b) is still able to sleep comfortably, and c) if so, did you use any special tricks to do it? Thanks!

[split_city]

FYI. A study which was conducted in my lab a few years back

Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1997 Jan;155(1):199-204.Links
Effects of sleep posture on upper airway stability in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.Neill AM, Angus SM, Sajkov D, McEvoy RD.
Sleep Disorders Unit, Repatriation General Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.

Changes in sleep posture have been shown to improve obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To investigate the mechanisms by which this occurs we assessed upper airway stability in eight patients with severe OSA in three postures (supine, elevated to 30 degrees, and lateral). We used a specially adapted nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) mask to measure upper airway closing pressure (UACP) and upper airway opening pressure (UAOP) during non-REM sleep. Statistical comparisons were made between postures using ANOVA for repeated measures. Elevation resulted in a less collapsible airway compared with both the supine and lateral positions (mean UACP: 30 degrees elevation -4.0 +/- 3.2 compared with supine 0.3 +/- 2.4 cm H2O, p < 0.05 and; lateral -1.1 +/- 2.2 cm H2O, p < 0.05). Supine UACP and lateral UACP were not significantly different. Elevation or lateral positioning produced a 50% reduction in mean UAOP (supine 10.4 +/- 3.5 cm H2O compared with 30 degrees elevation 5.3 +/- 2.1, p < 0.05; and lateral 5.5 +/- 2.1 cm H2O, p < 0.05). We conclude that in severely affected OSA patients upper body elevation, and to a lesser extent lateral positioning, significantly improve upper airway stability during sleep, and may allow therapeutic levels of nCPAP to be substantially reduced.

[roster]

...... We conclude that in severely affected OSA patients upper body elevation, and to a lesser extent lateral positioning, significantly improve upper airway stability during sleep, and may allow therapeutic levels of nCPAP to be substantially reduced.

In elevating the upper body, was the "bend" at the hips?

[split_city]

...... We conclude that in severely affected OSA patients upper body elevation, and to a lesser extent lateral positioning, significantly improve upper airway stability during sleep, and may allow therapeutic levels of nCPAP to be substantially reduced.

In elevating the upper body, was the "bend" at the hips?

Yes it was rooster

[Guest]

Thank you very much split-city. Was very informative.

[Dgrendahl]

[quote="debst99"]About a week to two weeks ago, we raised the head of the bed 4 inches to help my GERD according to the doctor. I just got my last week's data printed out from DME where it says my AHI's only registered 1.00 or below, even having some 0 obstructive apneas nights. Always before that I had average AHI's 2.6. I know even that was good because it was under 5, but wouldn't it make sense since I am not laying flat on my back anymore my AHI's would decrease? I am more of a side sleeper though.

Thank you for all your responses.

[roster]

[quote="Dgrendahl"]..... Well, I felt dramatically better so then I invested in a product called, "The Matress Genie." All of my stats have lowered considerably.

[Dgrendahl]

[quote="rooster"][quote="Dgrendahl"]..... Well, I felt dramatically better so then I invested in a product called, "The Matress Genie." All of my stats have lowered considerably.

[Julie]

Again (hopefully) - any stomach sleepers who've raised the bed head successfully?

[eljay]

Dgrendahl - can you sleep on your side when the mattress genie is inflated, or are you just sleeping on your back?

[roster]

Again (hopefully) - any stomach sleepers who've raised the bed head successfully?

I have my bed raised about 3.5 inches and can, but usually don't, sleep on my tummy without sliding down.

I found raising the bed head more than about 4 inches means a strong tendency to slide down regardless of the position you are sleeping in.

Maybe sewing some velcro patches in strategic places on the bottom sheet and some corresponding ones on our pajamas would solve the problem.