Most users seem to prefer pillows over the other positioning devices. The apparent reasoning is that there is basically no interference at all with their lifestyles. There is more. There may be a slightly higher degree of comfort to the user than with other positioning devices. The big question is are the pillows beneficial. The answer will be that it depends on the individual, their health conditions & design of the pillow mechanism.
When you move in your sleep you must have a pillow with slots or sleeves for your arm or an attachment that keeps you off your back, in a snit position, elevated from the waist up or in whatever position your condition requires. If it doesn’t secure you in some way it doesn’t matter what’s stated, it will not benefit you if you move off the pillow in your sleep. Also even if the pillow has the attachments & you do not use them you’ll not benefit if you move in your sleep.
Shirts, Vests & Backpacks have the advantage over pillows of allowing freedom of movement in bed while asleep. As long as it’s of a good design (some input below) you can be fairly confident you’ll not roll onto your back while asleep. Unlike pillows you know there is some resistance behind your back but you also have freedom of movement & to move your arms. This is a enormous benefit to a user with rotor cuff repair, a shoulder problem, a toss & turn sleeper or virtually everyone that moves at all in their sleep.
Shirts, Vests, Backpacks & Body Braces with limiting on the back mechanisms also need to be evaluated when it comes to keeping you reliably off your back. Many allow you to almost reach a supine position before they either become uncomfortable (ball or hard foam) or are positioned on the lower area of back to allow shoulder to twist toward bed & therefore head to be facing upwards (tongue & tissues fall back & may obstruct airway. The general recommended placement of the limiting mechanism is between shoulder blades on the spinal area where even if the lower upper body twists toward bed your shoulder will stay elevated & your head will lay sideways & tongue & tissue will fall to the side of mouth which will help the airway stay clear.
Many use a t-shirt to achieve this task. At home attempt a t-shirt on backwards with a ball in pocket (even though the pocket will not actually be centered on the spine) & simulate movement in your sleep by rolling back & forth from side to side on your bed & see how long the pocket stays in place. Try the same thing with a pajama top on backwards (have your partner button it). This type of top will not easily stretch (like a t-shirt) & will normally be better at keeping limiter on or near spine.
Vests are not as dependable in keeping limiter on spine as a shirt but depending on limiter dimensions & placement perform similar & they should not actually be made of stretch type materials.
Body Braces like pillows must be of a good design to reliably keep you off your back.
Backpacks will in most cases work well keeping you off your back & if designed only for sleeping can be comfortable & reliable.
Also of great importance is the design of the limiter. Some use Air Bladder. Some use Flexible Type Foam. Some use Hard Foam. Some use a Wiffle or Tennis Ball (which will not usually be sized within the shown guidelines). Size of Limiter including depth & width or diameter should be at least ¼ to 1/3 of width across shoulders ( in other words somewhere between 5′ & 9′) (depth & width or diameter)and being 10′ to 15′ in length for most users. There is more. This in most circumstances will stop rolling onto your back while asleep. The limiter also needs to begin at shoulder blade area & extend along spinal area towards lower back for better outcomes.
I have slept with all of the above & the most dependable & comfortable for me were the Air Bladder & Flexible Foam. Advantage of Air Bladder is weight. Disadvantages are that Air Bladder feels a little stiff & may leak which can become aggravating. Advantages of Flexible Foam are long useful lifespan with a reliable consistent pillow feel. Disadvantage is when not laying in bed there is more weight to foam than air bladder.
Backpacks, Shirts & Vests with frontal attachment mechanisms are also easier for users to put on & take off especially with the limiter on back.
With most positioning products available today only Air Bladder & Flexible Foam are designed to keep you off your back while not disturbing your sleep.
In conclusion, there is plenty of detailed information available about Positive Pressure, Dental Devices & Surgery available. When it comes to Positioning there is very little with the exception of using the old method of sewing a pocket on the middle of the back of a tee shirt & inserting a tennis ball in it… An inclusion of the importance of the above type of products to positional therapy would appear to benefit the sufferer of some sleep conditions. There is more. These products while not necessarily limited to the following include pillows, shirts, backpacks & braces. Any of which may benefit the positional patient.
The reality is that there’re devices being marketed that are priced very reasonable, are comfortable & work for many positional sufferers which may not have some of the drawbacks that other therapies might have.
I am a Serious Loud Snorer & a Moderate Sleep Apnea Sufferer & I’ve used these types of products. I was frustrated at the end results of trying different methods available & seeing drawbacks that many created. By creating my own devices I realized how hard & with the correct device how easy it’s to modify sleeping habits. The benefits of recuperative sleep will be realized if good sleeping habits can be maintained over time. At this time we only indicate snoring for our products. We do stress the importance off the back sleep has on Sleep Apnea. To see our products click on pajama pillow shirt. Also at spousal pillow shirt. SLEEP HEALTHY.
that it causes more interference with normal breathing. Again, in extreme cases death can be the end result. The best way to avoid these complications is to be intensively monitored while you sleep.