Over 100 million people have sleep apnea around the world. This disorder happens when the airways get blocked during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing during the night. A common symptom is snoring, but a pillow for sleep apnea can help with this. These pillows elevate the head, helping the airways stay clear and reducing the risk of apnea.
We’ve tested 11 products and compiled a list of the 7 best pillows for sleep apnea, with the Cushy Form Bed Wedge Pillow being our favorite. We’ve included wedge as well as contoured pillow types as these two are the most effective in terms of results. All of the pillows on this list are made of memory foam or similar material, as this provides the best support for the neck and head.
Extra features: comes with a washable and removable cover
Our first best pillow for sleep apnea review will take a look at the Cushy Form Bed Wedge Pillow. This pillow wins our Editor’s Choice award and received the best overall rating, but what makes it so special? Well, it’s formed in a wedge shape, allowing it to provide strong elevation to the head and neck. Made from a mixture of standard foam and memory foam, it’s able to offer the perfect blend of comfort and support.
Sleeping on the Cushy Form Bed Wedge Pillow is an enjoyable experience, and it’s definitely the best wedge pillow for sleep apnea money can buy right now. The cover comes off with ease and can be washed whenever you like, allowing the pillow to stay clean, fresh, and hygienic for longer, and it retains its shape nicely too, allowing you to use it for years without needing a replacement.
It’s a large and wide wedge, offering a lot of space for you to move around a little in the night, and it’s nice for reading and resting throughout the day as well. It’s definitely on the more expensive side, but offers a lot of value by drastically reducing snoring, sleep apnea, sinus pressure, and even heartburn, too. Overall, a very impressive sleep apnea pillow.
Extra features: designed with 2 neck support options and height options; cooling memory foam
Next up, we come to the EnduriMed CPAP Pillow. Designed to meet medical standards and work perfectly with CPAP machines, this is one of the top pillows out there for those who sleep with a hose or mask. It’s very large and sturdy, with some users even saying it might be a little too firm, but it’s really able to offer a lot of strong support for the head and neck, guaranteeing you’ll stay elevated all through the night.
The EnduriMed CPAP Pillow is formed in an ergonomic contoured shape, with well-placed cutouts and indentations to provide comfort and coziness for the body, no matter how you choose to sleep. It’s simply perfect for CPAP machines, preventing any tangled tubes or air leaks and not applying any undue pressure to the face or airways either, so it’s a good option for back and side sleepers.
It also comes with different neck support options, so if you aren’t totally satisfied with one, you can simply flip it around and try the other side. There are both small and large side neck support options, perfect for people of different head sizes and sleeping styles. The cover is resistant to mites and allergens too. Overall, there’s a lot to love about the EnduriMed CPAP Pillow and users reviews for this product are consistently high-rated.
Extra features: cooling gel-infused memory foam; machine-washable cover; made in the USA; 1-year warranty; also available in a 12-inch height
Next up, we come to the Avana Back Wedge with Bamboo Cover. Definitely one of the best pillow sleep apnea products in terms of cooling and comfort, this wedge pillow features a highly breathable bamboo cover and is made from gel-infused memory foam which works wonderfully to absorb heat and prevent you from getting too toasty in the night.
The Avana Back Wedge with Bamboo Cover is made in the USA from high quality materials. It’s formed in the classic wedge shape, able to offer effective elevation for the upper body when you need it, and there are actually two different height options to choose from: 8″ and 12″. Some users have actually reported that the incline is a little too steep for them, and the size of this pillow definitely means it takes up quite a bit of space.
On the plus side, the Avana Back Wedge with Bamboo Cover comes with a 1-year warranty and has an easy-to-remove cover that is fully machine washable. It’s a durable and long lasting product, able to retain its firmness and structure for many years to come, offering lots of comfort and satisfaction for sleepers who need it. If you struggle with sleep apnea, you’ll see a major difference once you start sleeping with this pillow.
Extra features: breathable, ventilated cover; suitable for use with a CPAP mask
Those searching for a great value sleep apnea pillow that can work with a CPAP machine should definitely consider the VISCO LOVE Silver Sleep Therapeutic Wellness Memory Foam Pillow. Formed in a contoured shape and made from memory foam, this pillow provides decent firmness to keep you elevated in the night while also offering that classic memory foam feel that lets you just sink into the pillow a little for added comfort.
One of the main things to point out with the VISCO LOVE Silver Sleep Therapeutic Wellness Memory Foam Pillow is just how portable it is. This pillow can actually be rolled up and packed away in quite a small bag or case, perfect for people who like to travel around a lot and plan on taking their sleep apnea pillow along with them. It also features a very breathable, easy to clean cover that stays cool through the night, and the design is just right for CPAP users.
On the downside, some users have reported that because the VISCO LOVE Silver Sleep Therapeutic Wellness Memory Foam Pillow is a little on the soft side, it lacks some support and doesn’t always provide the snoring and apnea relief users are hoping for. Results vary from one person to the next, but many users have found that this pillow does offer effective relief, so it’s a very subjective matter. Users also state that this pillow takes a little getting used to, but this is true of many sleep apnea pillows.
Extra features: made in the USA; CertiPUR-US certified; also available in 7 and 12-inch heights
Our budget pick for this review, and one of the very best reviewed sleep apnea pillows out there right now, the Brentwood Home Zuma Therapeutic Foam Bed Wedge Pillow is highly affordable, made in the USA, and fully CertiPUR-US certified too, meaning it shouldn’t show any off-gassing or odors while in use. Available in 7, 10, and 12 inch heights, this pillow is highly versatile, letting you choose the size that works for you.
Many users have stated the 12-inch model is a little too steep, but the 7 and 10 inch variants are highly-rated and said to be very comfortable overall. The bamboo fiber cover provides decent cooling and breathability ratings, making for a very soft, cozy, and hygienic pillow overall, and user reviews are consistently positive when talking about this pillow in general.
The only possible drawback with this model is that some users feel the foam is a little hard. On the plus side, this firm foam helps this pillow stand out as a highly durable and resistant pillow, but it does also mean that you might need to spend some time getting used to it and could wake up with a bit of a sore neck for the first few nights.
Extra features: washable pillow cover
Finally, we come to the Mars Wellness Premium Pillow for Cpap. A relatively simple sleep apnea pillow, this one measures up at 19” x 13” x 4” and is made of memory foam. Its design is quite basic, with one half being simply flat, just like a regular pillow, and the lower half having ergonomic features, so it’s not quite as complex or innovative as some of the other models on the list, but it’s rated highly and said to be very comfortable by many users.
The Mars Wellness Premium Pillow for CPAP comes with a removable and washable cover, which is soft to the touch and comfortable under the head, but lacks any strong cooling properties, so can get a little warm on the hottest summer nights. It’s a very comfortable pillow in general though and can work well for side and stomach sleepers in particular, which is quite rare for an apnea pillow.
This sleep apnea pillow is also totally compatible with CPAP machines, so you don’t need to worry about the hose or tubes getting tangled or damaged as you sleep. You can use standard pillow cases with the Mars Wellness Premium Pillow for Cpap too, which is a nice bonus, but you might want to put a secondary pillow underneath it as it lacks a little height.
Extra features: removable machine-washable cover
If you’re on the lookout for the best cervical pillow for sleep apnea, the MARNUR Cervical Pillow is definitely the only one you need to know. Formed in a cervical, contoured shape, this pillow offers terrific levels of comfort and is made from high quality memory foam too, allowing it to gently hug the shape of your head and adapt to your sleeping style, effectively offering a personalized level of care and support.
The MARNUR Cervical Pillow comes equipped with an easy to remove cover, so you can keep it clean with ease, and the cover is made from a mixture of polyester and bamboo rayon, making it highly breathable. This allows it to stay hygienic and free of bacteria, as well as keeping it nice and cool all through the night. It’s a very skin-friendly design overall, although some users have reported a bit of an odor that takes a few days to fade away.
The contoured designed of the MARNUR Cervical Pillow makes it a highly flexible and versatile pillow, suitable for many different sleeping positions. Whether you’re a back, side, or even stomach sleeper, you can make this pillow work for you, and it even features little armrests and a cervical contour to support the neck.
Now that we’ve looked at some of the best sleep apnea pillows, it’s time to look at the specific features of these pillows and find out more about how they work. When shopping for your sleep apnea pillow, there are quite a few factors you’ll need to think about. Read on to learn more.
So, what can a sleep apnea pillow do for you? Well, these pillows are designed differently to traditional pillows. They work by elevating the hard and providing more support than a standard pillow, preventing your airways from getting blocked as you sleep and reducing the risks of apnea. The use of a sleep apnea pillow can therefore help you enjoy peaceful nights of sleep with no interruptions, and you won’t need to worry about snoring loudly and disturbing other members of the household either, so these pillows can be great for everyone.
A sleep apnea pillow might seem simple on the outside, but they’re not all identical. Each one has its merits and features, and one pillow can offer vastly different levels of comfort and support to the next. Pay attention to the following features when shopping for your next sleep apnea pillow.
When you’re looking into pillows for sleep apnea, you’ll usually have to choose between two distinct shapes: contoured and wedge. Which is the best type of pillow for sleep apnea? Well, both styles have their advantages. Wedge pillows like the Cushy Form Bed Wedge Pillow are just like door wedges in shape and offer strong support and constant elevation, while contoured pillows are more complex in their designs. Contoured pillows tend to be more comfortable in general, and the best contoured pillows, like the MARNUR Cervical Pillow, are very cozy. You need to focus on the comfort and support of the pillow, trying to see how much support it can provide for the head and neck in order to prevent airway blockages and reduce snoring.
The materials used to make your sleep apnea pillow are also essential in determining how comfortable and effective it is. It’s important to remember that you’re going to be sleeping on this pillow, so comfort is of the utmost importance. The best pillows for sleep apnea offer cooling properties to prevent them from getting too hot in the night, and the Avana Back Wedge is a great example of this. Other good quality sleep apnea pillows are hypoallergenic, which is another good advantage to have, and the best quality pillows like the Mars Wellness Premium Pillow for Cpap are able to retain their shape for a long time and contour nicely around the head.
Pillows for sleep apnea, like the Brentwood Home Zuma Therapeutic Foam Bed Wedge Pillow, come in a range of sizes, and it’s important to choose the best one for your bed and body. Many people prefer larger sleep apnea pillows, like the Cushy Form Bed Wedge Pillow, that allow them to move around a little in the night without losing the support and comfort of the pillow. Others prefer smaller and more portable pillows they can take on their travels, like the VISCO LOVE Silver Sleep Therapeutic Wellness Memory Foam Pillow.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are able to treat sleep apnea through the use of a hose and mask or nosepiece which provides steady air pressure to the body, keeping the airways open and preventing snoring or other apnea symptoms. If you use a CPAP machine, you’ll want to find a pillow that works with it.
There are quite a few different measures you can take and things you can do to reduce the risk of sleep apnea, including:
Overall, our favorite sleep apnea pillow was the Cushy Form Bed Wedge Pillow. Formed in the classic wedge shape, this pillow is versatile enough to be used in a lot of different ways, feels very comfortable to sleep on, and provides the firmness you need to stay elevated at night.
Our second best rated sleep apnea pillow is the EnduriMed CPAP Pillow. If you sleep with a CPAP machine, this is the perfect pillow for you, offering two different neck support options and a smart, ergonomic design that works for both back and side sleepers with masks and hoses.
Next up on our list of the best pillow for sleep apnea is the Avana Back Wedge with Bamboo Cover. A memory foam wedge pillow with gel-infused memory foam for a cooling effect, it is available in multiple height options.
