Postural Effect on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Sitting Versus Supine

Postural effects on breathing are evident in most patients with obstructive sleep apnea. However, the impact varies depending on an individual’s habitual sleeping position. Here, an age 40 obese male with typical sleep apnea symptoms is presented. He had a habit of sleeping with his back on the head of the bed in a sitting position, two or three times nightly. Polysomnography showed severe obstructive sleep apnea. However, during sitting positional sleep, the obstructive events disappeared, and sleep became stable.