Do specialty pillows really work?
Photographer: WMAR
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 01/25/2013
Matthew Hall doesn’t do it on purpose. He doesn’t even realize it’s happening. He snores.
And when he starts, his wife is sure to let him know it. Now there’s a growing market of specialty pillows to help people like Matthew.
Dr. Clete Kushida is a sleep specialist. He says, “Minimizing snoring or minimizing sleep apnea, pillows. Pillows that can supposedly provide better support for the neck for people who have things like neck strain. “
The Sona pillow is designed to keep sleepers on their side. Its contoured design claims to cradle the head to create optimal breathing alignment.
It promises to cut down on snoring and mild sleep apnea are FDA-cleared.
There's a model by Brookstone, which promotes a built-in support system to cradle your head and neck, promising to keep your chin out and airway open.
We had Matthew put this one to the test for two weeks. While waiting to see how it worked, we questioned whether the concept could produce more z’s.
Both the Sona and Brookstone tout clinical tests to back up their claims, but Dr. Kushida points out
“take it with a grain of salt because a lot of those studies are based on just a few patients. ”
Another option on the market is this pillow that uses more than two thousand plastic spikes to apply accu-pressure, giving you a head massage designed to help you relax.
Study results are pending on this pillow. Our sleep specialist says it’s a matter of preference, no matter what pillow you pick.
He does say if you have serious sleep issues, don’t pin your hopes to a pillow.
Matt’s snoring didn’t stop with the pillow he tested, though his wife said it wasn’t as loud as it was in the past. So, matt’s search for the perfect pillow continues.
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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