Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder where throat muscles relax and collapse during sleep, blocking the airway and causing repeated breathing pauses that disrupt deep sleep. It’s estimated that around 1.5 million adults in the UK are affected, with up to 85% of cases going undiagnosed because many people don’t realise it’s happening. Often, a sleeping partner notices the loud snoring or gasping.

If you suffer from sleep apnoea, you’ll know how much it can impact your quality of life. The constant sleep interruptions can lead to daytime exhaustion, impaired concentration, and an increased risk of accidents. Long-term, untreated sleep apnoea can contribute to serious health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

What many people don’t realise is that sleeping completely flat on a standard bed can worsen sleep apnoea. In contrast, an electric adjustable bed allows you to easily change your sleeping position at the touch of a button, elevating your upper body to help keep your airway open.

This article will explore how adjustable beds can support people with sleep apnoea, what medical experts and studies say, and whether an adjustable bed could be a good solution for you.

Table of contents

1. What is sleep apnoea	5. Benefits of adjustable beds for sleep apnoea sufferers
2. Common symptoms and risks of OSA	6. An adjustable bed vs. pillows: a long-term solution
3. How sleeping position affects sleep apnoea	7. Shouldyou buy an adjustable bed for sleep apnoea?
4. How can an adjustable bed help with sleep apnoea?	8. Readyto breathe easier and sleep sounder?

1. What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a condition causing your breathing to stop and start repeatedly during sleep. In obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), the most common type, the soft tissues of your throat relax and collapse inward, temporarily blocking airflow. These pauses, called apnoeas, can last 10 seconds or more and may occur hundreds of times a night, jolting you out of deep sleep each time, often without you fully waking. This chronic sleep disruption leads to the hallmark daytime fatigue of OSA.

OSA can affect anyone, including children, but it’s most frequently seen in middle-aged adults and those who are overweight. It often goes undiagnosed because the individual might not be aware of the breathing interruptions. Loud snoring, choking or gasping sounds, and observed pauses in breathing are key signs. Over time, untreated sleep apnoea can strain the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and irregular heartbeats. It can also worsen conditions like type 2 diabetes and contribute to weight gain.

The good news is that sleep apnoea treatments are available. Doctors often prescribe a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine for moderate or severe OSA and encourage lifestyle changes. Simple steps at home, especially adjusting your sleeping position, can also make a significant difference.

2. Common symptoms and risks of OSA

Recognising the symptoms of sleep apnoea is the first step towards getting help. These symptoms can occur during the night and in the daytime:

• Loud, chronic snoring, especially with pauses and gasping sounds.
• Breathing pauses observed by another person.
• Choking or snorting awake, sometimes feeling like you’re choking.
• Frequent awakenings or restlessness, even if not fully remembered.
• Excessive daytime sleepiness, feeling very tired despite adequate time in bed.
• Morning headaches or a dry mouth/throat upon waking.
• Difficulty concentrating, memory issues, or mood changes like irritability or depression.

If you or your partner notice these warning signs, it’s important to speak to your GP. They may refer you for a sleep assessment to confirm if you have sleep apnoea and determine its severity.

3. How sleeping position affects sleep apnoea

Your sleeping position can significantly impact the severity of OSA because gravity plays a role in airway openness.

• Sleeping on your back (supine position) tends to worsen sleep apnoea for most people. Gravity pulls the base of your tongue and soft palate towards the back of your throat, narrowing the airway. Your jaw may also relax and fall backward. This makes obstructions more likely, leading to more frequent breathing pauses . Many patients have “positional OSA,” where their condition is significantly worse when sleeping on their back.
• Sleeping on your side is generally the best position for those with OSA on a flat bed. Side-sleeping helps keep the airway more open as gravity isn’t pulling the tongue directly into the airway. Many people find their snoring and apnoea episodes reduce when they stay off their back.
• Sleeping on your front (prone position) can also keep the airway open as the tongue falls forward. However, it’s the least popular sleep position as it can strain the neck and lower back, and may be uncomfortable for breathing or dislodge CPAP masks.

Lying flat on your back all night is not ideal for sleep apnoea, yet many people naturally end up in this position. You might start on your side and wake up on your back. Side-sleeping can also be uncomfortable due to pressure on shoulders or hips, especially with joint pain or a larger body size. This is where an adjustable bed can offer a solution, allowing you to sleep on your back with an incline to keep the airway open, similar to side-sleeping.

4. How can an adjustable bed help with sleep apnoea?

Medical professionals often recommend that people with OSA elevate their upper body during sleep. The principle is simple: if your head and chest are propped up, gravity is less likely to pull your tongue and soft tissues back into your airway. Even a moderate incline can make breathing easier by keeping the throat more open.

While extra pillows or wedge cushions are traditional methods, an electric adjustable bed offers a more effective and comfortable way to sleep at an incline.Adjustable beds allow you to raise the head of the bed to the precise angle you need, and it will stay in that position all night, unlike pillows that can slip or compress. Sleeping in a slightly upright posture reduces throat collapse and helps prevent apnoea events. Your airway becomes less restricted, allowing freer breathing and better oxygen flow.

Research supports the benefits of head-of-bed elevation for OSA. One clinical study found that when OSA patients slept with their bed inclined by only 7.5°, their apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) dropped by 30%, from a median of about 16 events per hour to 11. Participants’ minimum oxygen saturation levels also improved.

Another 2023 trial showed significant improvements in sleep apnoea severity with a mild incline using an adjustable bed, without causing discomfort or sleep quality issues for users. The researchers concluded that sleeping with a slight head raise via an adjustable bed is an effective adjunct therapy for OSA.

In simple terms, adjustable beds can help with sleep apnoea by addressing a root cause – airway closure due to gravity – in a non-invasive way. This can reduce snoring and breathing interruptions, especially for those with positional OSA.

While an adjustable bed isn’t a standalone cure for moderate to severe sleep apnoea (medical advice like CPAP use should always be followed), it can significantly improve nightly comfort and breathing as part of an overall management plan.

The ease of use is another advantage. A remote control allows fine-tuning of the sleeping angle. If you use a CPAP machine, an adjustable bed can complement it. Many CPAP users find side-sleeping with a mask uncomfortable, and some masks work better when lying on the back. Elevating the upper body on an adjustable bed makes back-sleeping comfortable and compatible with CPAP therapy, potentially improving compliance.

5. Benefits of adjustable beds for sleep apnoea sufferers

Using an adjustable bed offers several benefits for people with sleep apnoea and their partners:

• Reduced snoring: By raising your head and upper torso, an adjustable bed helps keep your airway clearer, often leading to less snoring and quieter nights for both you and your partner.
• Better breathing & oxygen flow: Sleeping at an incline can increase lung capacity compared to lying flat. With an open airway, you take in more oxygen, leading to more restorative sleep as your body isn’t struggling for air. Studies show even small head elevation can improve blood oxygen levels in OSA patients.
• Less neck and chest pressure: A slight incline reduces weight and pressure on the neck and upper airway, and lessens the gravitational pull on the tongue and soft palate. This is helpful if obesity or a narrow airway contributes to your OSA. It can also ease pressure on the chest and sinuses, aiding breathing if you have nasal congestion.
• Eases acid reflux at night: OSA and acid reflux (GERD) often coexist. Acid reflux can worsen at night and even provoke apnoea events by irritating the airway. Sleeping slightly upright, easily achieved with an adjustable bed, helps keep stomach acid down, preventing reflux and heartburn. Reducing reflux can also mean less coughing, further improving OSA symptoms.
• Greater comfort for side sleepers: If you try to sleep on your side for OSA, an adjustable bed can make this position much more comfortable. Adjustable beds can contour to your body and support your spine in neutral alignment, reducing pressure on shoulders and hips.
• No more stacking pillows: Pillows often shift, compress, or cause poor neck alignment. An adjustable bed provides stable, ergonomic support that maintains your chosen angle all night, crucial for preventing apnoeas consistently.
• Undisturbed partner sleep (dual settings): Split adjustable beds (dual beds) have two separate mattresses and mechanisms, allowing each side to be adjusted independently. You can elevate your side for OSA, while your partner sleeps flat or in their preferred position, improving sleep for both.
• Enhanced CPAP compliance: An adjustable bed can make CPAP therapy more tolerable by relieving claustrophobia or discomfort sometimes felt when wearing a mask lying flat. This can lead to better adherence to prescribed CPAP treatment.

6. An adjustable bed vs. pillows: a long-term solution

While elevating your head with pillows is a common DIY approach for OSA, it has limitations compared to an adjustable bed:

• Pillows shift and compress: It’s hard to maintain a consistent incline, even with adjustable pillows, which can slip or flatten overnight, causing you to end up nearly flat and allowing apnoea to return. An adjustable bed locks in your desired angle securely.
• Neck and spine alignment: Stacked pillows often bend the neck forward, causing strain. An adjustable bed elevates the entire upper body, keeping the spine aligned while raising the airway, which is more ergonomic and comfortable.
• Consistency and ease: Readjusting pillows after moving or getting up is a hassle. An adjustable bed allows easy return to the exact same incline, ensuring consistent support.

Investing in an adjustable bed is a more reliable, long-term solution for managing sleep apnoea at night. It provides stable, ergonomic elevation consistently, every night.

7. Should you buy an adjustable bed for sleep apnoea?