Ordinary pillows are not designed with CPAP users in mind and may interfere with the device’s functionality. This means a thorough review of every pillow option you come across before you commit to a purchase. However, we’ve already reviewed and provided a list of five of the best pillows for CPAP users with the Hullo Buckwheat Pillow, King Size as our Editor’s Choice.
Notably, we didn’t pick these five pillow options lightly. We considered features such as height, surface material, fill material, design, and extra features. These determine how well-suited the pillow is to the needs of the user. All that’s left is to read the write-up below and pick the option that appeals most to you.
Other features: hidden zipper with pull pocket, made in the USA
The Hullo Buckwheat Pillow has a traditional rectangular shape but is filled with buckwheat hulls instead of synthetic materials. The hulls sit inside a breathable, machine-washable cotton twill cover and are grown and milled in the USA.
This pillow suits CPAP users who want to avoid the heat buildup of foam, because air moves freely between the hulls. A hidden zipper lets you remove or add hulls to get the height right, although there is no cutout for a mask or tubing.
Other features: 2 levels of thickness, ergonomic cutouts; works best for back, stomach, and side sleepers
Next is the EnduriMed CPAP Pillow, which works well for back, side, and stomach sleepers. It comes with multiple cutouts in its design that allow for the comfortable placement of the CPAP mask with no tangling for the tubing. Also, there are two levels of thickness to choose from once you learn how to adjust the pillow.
This pillow is excellent for people sleeping with CPAP, BiPAP, and even APAP masks. The contours ensure no tangled tubing and no air leaks while you sleep.
Other features: extra firm feel, perfect for side and back sleepers, 5-year limited warranty
The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow is another posture pillow for CPAP users that’s made it onto our list. Its contoured design allows for optimum neck placement and spine alignment. Additionally, the contouring will enable you to wear your mask without tangling the tubes while eliminating the risk of leaking. Also, it uses TEMPUR® material which is a slightly different stuffing material compared to regular memory foam.
This pillow is an excellent pick for side/back sleepers. It even offers precise spine alignment for these two categories of sleepers, thanks to the contouring design. Also, durability is almost guaranteed. After all, you get a five-year warranty to reassure you of the quality.
Other features: for side sleepers, CPAP and BiPAP users, travel-friendly size
The Hermell Mini CPAP Pillow is a small pillow made for CPAP and BiPAP users and side sleepers. It is hand-filled in the USA with a polyester fiber blend and comes with a soft cotton-blend cover that you can remove and wash.
At 14 x 8 x 6 inches it packs easily, so it works as well in a hotel room as it does at home, and it is the least expensive pillow in this lineup.
More features: side cutouts for mask clearance, ventilated foam, ergonomic shape for neck and spine alignment
The Contour CPAPMax Pillow is made for people who sleep with a CPAP mask. Side cutouts give the mask room so it is not pushed into your face, which helps it hold its seal and cuts down on leaks, noise and dry eyes.
The 2-in-1 design lets you adjust the loft and choose between a plush fiber-fill feel and an adaptive memory foam surface, so you can set it up for side, back or stomach sleeping. Ventilated foam lets body heat escape to help you sleep cooler.
As you may have guessed, picking the right pillow for a CPAP user is not as easy as picking a regular pillow. We break down the features and attributes that make or break your experience with the pillow in the section below. As such, you’ll find that selection is much smoother after you read this buying guide.
CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. It involves a CPAP machine, tubing, and a face mask and is used as a therapy for people with sleep apnea. The setup uses mild pressure to keep the user’s airways open, thereby helping them to breathe better as they sleep.
Just like regular pillows, a good pillow for CPAP users needs to be comfortable to sleep on. Durable and high-quality construction is another requirement. Also, it needs to take into account the CPAP setup. Remember that you’ll be hooked up to a mask and tubing that attaches to the CPAP machine. Moving the mask or tangling the tubing can lead to the machine’s inability to do its job.
Your preferable sleeping position is something that you should consider before purchase. There are side sleepers, back sleepers, and stomach sleepers. In terms of comfort, most of the pillow options available are not a good fit for all three types of sleepers. One example is the Hermell Mini CPAP Pillow, which is designed mainly for side sleepers.
Let’s also not forget that how you sleep will affect your CPAP setup as well. As such, be sure to check the description of the pillow to see if it works for your sleeping position.
Listed and explained below are all the features you should check for as you’re looking for the ideal posture pillow for CPAP users.
There are different preferences when it comes to firmness and support. Some users prefer firmer pillows that offer more support, while others prefer options that mold to their heads and necks. The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow, for instance, has been rated as extra-firm, which means very little give when you lay your head on the pillow.
Also, remember to check the pillow size to determine whether it’s a good fit for your bed. The dimensions provided are a good place to start. You can find out the length, width, and height if they are provided. Some users have complained about their pillow options being too small or too large for their beds. That said, you need to pay particular attention to the height/thickness. This will affect the alignment of your spine and determine whether you wake up with a backache or not.
Next, you check whether any aspects of the pillow are adjustable to meet your needs. The Contour CPAPMax Pillow, for instance, uses adjustable memory foam with a 2-in-1 design. This means that you can customize the loft of the pillow to suit your sleeping position. You can also choose the sleep surface, either a plush fiber-fill feel or an adaptive memory foam surface.
The Hullo Buckwheat Pillow is also moldable but in a different way. It is filled with American-grown buckwheat hulls. However, the zip to open the pillow cover is easily accessible, and you can use that to either add or remove some of the hulls. This allows you to adjust the thickness of the pillow to your liking.
Cutouts may give the pillow a different shape compared to the typical rectangular pillow, but they serve a purpose. The cutouts on the EnduriMed CPAP Pillow, for instance, provide a slot for the mask and CPAP tubing. This reduces the chances of the tubing tangling or the mask shifting while you sleep. Consequently, you’ll be able to sleep much easier throughout the night. However, not all bed pillows for CPAP users in the market come with cutouts, as shown by the Hullo Buckwheat Pillow mentioned above.
The material makeup of the pillow will also affect the user experience. Most modern options, whether for CPAP users or regular people, tend to have synthetic construction. This includes foam or fiberfill construction. The Contour CPAPMax Pillow is one example that uses memory foam as the inner material.
Notably, memory foam is well known for heat retention, which might make some users uncomfortable. However, the manufacturer has taken some precautions against that by using ventilated foam, which lets air flow through the pillow so body heat can escape. The same pillow also has a fiber comfort layer that gives it a traditional, soft pillow feel.
Additionally, you have materials such as the buckwheat hulls in the Hullo Buckwheat Pillow. Their most endearing quality is that they don’t retain or reflect heat. As such, they’re an ideal option for people who want to avoid getting hot while they sleep.
The surface material is also just as important since some options are more comfortable to sleep on than others.
The affordability of the pillow is another factor you look into before you decide to order. One of the more endearing qualities of the Hermell Mini CPAP Pillow is that it’s very affordable. This makes it accessible to a large section of the population. On the other hand, spending upwards of $100 for the Hullo Buckwheat Pillow may not be everybody’s cup of tea. However, if you don’t mind spending that much on a pillow and you like the features, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get it.
Remember to check the warranty terms of your pillow as well. The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow, for instance, comes with a five-year warranty giving you an extra reason to buy the pillow. This will also serve as reassurance that the pillow is well made and incorporates quality materials. The Hullo Buckwheat Pillow is cut, sewn and assembled in the USA, but check the return terms before you buy.
Lastly, there are some extra features you might come across as you review the different pillows. One example can be seen in our editor’s choice option, the Contour CPAPMax Pillow. It has side cutouts that keep your CPAP mask from pressing into your face, which helps the mask hold its seal through the night. Just like a warranty, these extra features provide you with more reasons to pick one pillow over the other alternatives.
All five pillows listed above are excellent options to consider. That said, they will work differently for you depending on your needs, body type, sleep patterns, and a few other factors. The Hullo Buckwheat Pillow is our Editor’s Choice. CPAP users who have this pillow don’t need to worry about sleeping hot. Another contender for the best pillow for CPAP users is the EnduriMed CPAP Pillow which gives the Editor’s choice pillow a run for its money with regard to the cutout design.
As you may have noticed, the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Ergo Neck Pillow and the Hermell Mini CPAP Pillow also have very endearing qualities. For the former, the 5-year warranty is better than you’ll get with most other pillow options. As for the latter, the affordability and compact design are its best assets.
