Indeed, most bed partners know this from experience, and often try to make their partner move onto their side during the night to stop their snoring. There are several strategies which can help patients who have mild apnea only when lying on their back. One is to sew or attach a sock filled with tennis balls length-wise down the back of their pajama top or nightshirt. This makes it uncomfortable for the sleeper to lie supine, and he or she usually will move onto their side. Another technique is to use positional pillows to assist in sleeping on the side.
Positional therapy has limits, but it has been tried with success in some patients.
Back to top Positive Pressure Therapy Positive airway pressure is a very effective therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. Regardless of the mechanism used, it is desirable to use the lowest possible pressure to eradicate the sleep apnea . In most cases, positive airway pressure is easier to tolerate at lower pressures. Every patient requires a different pressure. To determine the individual patient's optimum airway pressure, it is necessary to titrate the pressure to each individual patient during a polysomnogram.