A wedge pillow is a type of wedge-shaped pillow designed to relieve pressure of your body, including your back, lumbar and hips. Wedge pillows are generally thought to provide the utmost support out of any other pillows and also can help with alleviating stress from sleeping on your back.
There are several ways to use a wedge pillow. You can use it as a neck pillow, a back pillow, a leg pillow, or a training tool for cerebral palsy children, even a helper that help hemiplegia patients to turn over in bed.
Here are a couple of ways to use a wedge pillow for better sleep and to make sitting up on bed more comfortable.
1. Being Upright Recline
If you are reading or watching TV in bed and want to lie back on an incline, place a wedge pillow up against the head of bed. The wider end should be flat on the mattress, while the pointy end of the pillow should be upwards. The pillow will give your back support when you keeping a position where there is no pressure on your neck or back.
Doctors suggested sitting in bed only when you mean to sleep, but sometimes it can’t be avoided. If you use a wedge pillow, you will get properly support, and won’t have to rest against an uncomfortable wall. The most comfortable wedge pillow is to sit up in bed with 135 degrees incline.
2. Raising Back Sleeping
If you are snoring or have symptoms of sleep apnea which will get worse when you’re lying on your back, then you might need a wedge pillow to elevate your upper back. Because when you lying on your back, the base of the tongue falls backward under the action of gravity, which will block the upper airway, it may cause you breathing hard. So it’s better sleep on your side or prop up with a pillow if you are used to sleeping on your back.
A wedge pillow can help improve sleep by making it easier to breathe and preventing the tongue from obstructing the airway, also it’s useful for those with allergies or congestion, as it helps drain the sinuses more easily.
For those who have frequent stomach acid problems such as GERD and heartburn, there is potential risk for the acid to reflux into the esophagus when lying down because of the action of gravity. However, using a wedge pillow can keep the acid flowing downward so that there is less chance of it entering the throat and causing a burning sensation. It is important to find a pillow that has an incline of around 30-45 degrees, 8-12 inches above the mattress surface.
3. Elevating Side Sleeping
Side sleepers may develop sleep apnea and acid refluxing problems. These issues can also be solved by using a wedge pillow that keep the spine neutral while minimizing pressure points and cradling the shoulders.
4. Being Leg Elevation When Back Sleeping
For those who are back sleepers, raising the legs while they are sleeping could help prevent forming varicose veins. It can also reduce pressure on the lower back and relax your muscles. Furthermore, it can promote blood circulation, is good for people with heart disease and other serious medical issues.
5. Being Lap Placement
Sometimes, you might want to read or work on bed. To keep a proper position, you can use a foldable wedge pillow as a desk. It can be foldable and put on your lap. You can place a laptop, tablet or a book on top of the wedge pillow, and enjoy working or reading, won’t strain your neck and wrists.
