BODY POSITION

Snoring and OSA are usually worse when the patients sleep on their backs. This is because gravity promotes collapse of the soft palate and the tongue, especially during deep NREM, and REM sleep when the muscles are most relaxed. A common complaint of patients is that their bed partners are always poking or shoving them on to their sides. For patients with OSA who are very obese, sleeping with the trunk elevated at 30 degrees relieves the pressure on the diaphragm from the abdomen and improves the patency of the upper airway. This measure alone can reduce the severity of OSA in these very obese patients by ~ 20%.

Some patients have developed the habit of sleeping face down. However, this can cause a strain on the neck and lower back.

Lifestyle changes
Body position
Nasal sprays
Nasal valve dilators
Dental appliances
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
Surgery