In This Article:
Quick Answers
Who really benefits? People with acid reflux, snoring, sleep apnea, or back issues. Raising your head 6-8 inches makes a real difference for reflux. We hear this from customers all the time.
What should I look for? Quiet motors (you'd be surprised how loud some are), wireless remote, and battery backup so you can lower it during power outages. Those are the must-haves.
Will my mattress work on one? Memory foam and latex flex well. Most hybrids work if they're designed for adjustable bases. Traditional innerspring usually doesn't flex right - the edges are too rigid.
Adjustable Beds for Snoring: Does Elevation Actually Help?
Your partner snores. You've tried everything: earplugs, separate blankets, elbowing them at 2 AM. Before you move to the guest room permanently, there's one more thing worth trying: elevating their head while they sleep.
Why Head Elevation Helps Snoring
When you lie flat, gravity pulls your tongue and soft palate toward the back of your throat. This narrows the airway. Air rushing through a narrow passage makes the tissues vibrate, and that vibration is the snore.
Raise the head, and gravity works differently. The tongue doesn't fall back as far. The soft palate has more room. The airway stays more open, reducing turbulence and vibration.
The Research
A 2026 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that head elevation of 7.5 degrees reduced snoring by 32% in mild-to-moderate cases. At 30 degrees, the reduction was 54%. That's more than half the snoring eliminated just by changing position.
The catch: these results apply to positional snorers, people whose snoring is caused by airway position rather than other factors. Head elevation won't help if the snoring comes from nasal congestion, allergies, or structural issues.
How Much Elevation?
Studies suggest 20-30 degrees is the sweet spot for most people. That's more than stacking a few pillows (which kinks your neck and creates other problems). Proper elevation means raising from the waist up, keeping the spine aligned while opening the airway.
An adjustable bed base lets you find exactly the right angle. Start at 15 degrees and adjust over several nights until you find what reduces snoring without being uncomfortable.
The Partner Problem
Here's the issue: the snorer needs elevation, but their partner might not want to sleep at an angle. On a regular adjustable base, both sides move together. One person's solution becomes the other person's problem.
A split king setup solves this. Two twin XL mattresses on separate adjustable bases. The snorer elevates their head. The partner sleeps flat. Each person controls their own side.
When Elevation Won't Work
Head elevation helps positional snoring. It doesn't fix:
- Obstructive sleep apnea: If snoring includes gasping, choking, or breathing pauses, that's apnea. You need a sleep study and possibly CPAP, not just elevation.
- Nasal congestion: If you can't breathe through your nose, elevation doesn't help. Address the congestion first.
- Structural issues: Deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, or other anatomical problems need medical attention.
- Alcohol-related snoring: Alcohol relaxes throat muscles excessively. Cut the nightcap before blaming position.
Other Position Changes
Side sleeping reduces snoring more than back sleeping for most people. A body pillow can help you stay on your side. Some people use tennis balls sewn into the back of a shirt to prevent rolling over.
Combining side sleeping with mild head elevation often produces the best results for snorers who can tolerate the position.
What About Wedge Pillows?
Wedge pillows are cheaper than adjustable bases and can help with mild snoring. The downsides:
- They shift during the night
- Fixed angle, no adjustment
- Can slide down, ending up under your neck instead of your back
- Don't work well for side sleepers who move around
For occasional snoring, a wedge might be enough. For nightly snoring that's affecting your relationship and sleep quality, an adjustable base is a more reliable solution.
The Snorer's Perspective
Snorers often don't know they snore. They don't hear it. They don't feel it. They just know their partner is always tired and irritable. If your partner says you snore, believe them.
Taking steps to address snoring isn't just about your partner's sleep. Chronic snoring affects your own sleep quality too. You may not wake fully, but the vibration and effort of breathing through a restricted airway fragments your sleep.
Trying Before Buying
Come to our Brantford store at 441½ West Street. We have adjustable bases set up so you can lie down and experience what elevation feels like. Bring your partner. Try the split king configuration where one side elevates and the other doesn't.
If you've been sleeping in separate rooms because of snoring, this might be the solution that gets you back in the same bed.
Mattress Miracle: helping Brantford couples sleep in the same room since 1987.