Got Neck Pain After Sleeping? Wake up Pain-Free with These 6 Tips

You have a Monday morning alarm set and were right on time when you woke up. However, as soon as you stand up, you experience some sort of neck pain.

Perhaps you slept in the wrong position, and that caused your neck pain. The tendons, muscles, and ligaments in your neck may experience slight pain and stiffness as a result of this tension. It can take at least three days for the injury to heal. While this isn’t a life-threatening injury, it does cause a lot of pain.

Therefore, you should do something about it before your sore neck becomes worse over time and prevents you from going to work. Of course, living with such irritability is an unthinkable matter.

Keep reading to learn how to alleviate neck pain after sleeping.

What Causes Neck Pain After Sleeping?

You might not give much care to your sleeping positions or the type of pillow you use. Your sleeping posture and pillow, on the other hand, might cause a stiff, aching neck, as well as back pain.

Sleep issues have been linked to several new occurrences of chronic pain, according to research. Many of these factors are under your control, so by making some changes, you may be able to relieve your neck pain from sleeping, as well as other types of pain.

Your Preferred Sleeping Position

Everybody has a favorite sleeping position. If yours is on your stomach, you’re doing your neck no good. Your neck might be twisted to one side for hours at a time if you sleep on your stomach. This can put a strain on your neck muscles, making them stiff and uncomfortable in the morning.

Sleeping on your stomach can strain your back, particularly if you sleep on a mattress with little support. This might cause your stomach to sink into the bed, putting strain and pressure on your cervical spine and back muscles.

Pillow Type

Because your head and neck spend so much time on your pillow every night, choosing the right one is essential for a healthy, pain-free neck. A pillow that does not properly support your neck and head might cause a sore neck by causing your neck muscles to strain.

Memory foam or feather pillows can help you sleep with a neutral spine and neck by “cradling” your head.

Unexpected Movement

Your neck muscles might be strained by sudden movements, such as sitting up suddenly or tossing your limbs around in a dream. Neck tension and stress can be caused by tossing and turning when sleeping or trying to sleep.

Injury in the Past

Some injuries, such as whiplash or sports injuries, may not hurt right away. The full physical effects may take days to appear. If you were harmed in a way that affected your neck, you may go to bed feeling fine but wake up with a stiff, painful, sore neck the next morning.

6 Tips to Relieve Neck Pain from Sleeping

1. Follow a Neck Exercise Regime – Prevent Neck Pain

Simple stretches might help to loosen up a stiff neck. Because these stretches cause your neck to move in circular directions, they will help to renew your neck muscles while also improving blood flow to the region. 

If none of this relieves your chronic neck pain, and you’re experiencing it regularly, see a neck pain doctor for more help. A doctor will examine your X-rays and provide a treatment plan that will provide long-term relief from acute and chronic pain.

Gentle exercises not only relieve body aches but will also prevent neck pain from coming back.

2. Try Neck Massage

Massaging your neck pain with essential oils such as citronella, tea tree oil, and lavender isn’t only relaxing; it also offers muscle relaxation and alleviates stiff muscles when your neck hurts.

3. Correct Your Sleep Position

Neck pain is often associated with “sleeping wrong”. Your neck muscles may be strained if you lay in the wrong sleeping position and awkward angle, along with poor posture.

So, how can you sleep “right”? Follow these suggestions to avoid future stiffness:

• By sleeping on your back, you can keep your spine and neck aligned.
• Between your knees, place a rolled towel. This will raise the lower legs and relieve neck strain and muscle strain.
• Select a level sleeping surface that works in unison with the supportive pillow.
• Purchase memory foam pillars or cervical support devices to improve your sleep posture.

4. Get a Contoured Pillow

What if your old feather pillow is the source of your excruciating neck pain? Fortunately, determining whether or not your pillow is causing neck pain while you sleep is simple:

If your pillow is excessively high, it will angle your neck upward, causing a misalignment of the neck and spine, as well as musculoskeletal pain.

Also, if your pillow is too low, your neck will be angled downward, resulting in a similar effect.

There are many contoured pillows or memory foam pillows on the market now to help people sleep in the right posture. You may also ask your doctor for recommendations.

5. Apply a Heating Pad to the Neck

Heat application is a tried-and-true method of relieving pain by reducing neck stiffness caused by incorrect sleep position and angle.

While there are several ways to deliver heat to the affected area, one is to use a hot water bottle. To start, fill the hot water bottle halfway with hot water. Make sure the water in the bottle does not spill. Apply the heat compress to your neck for at least 10 minutes or until the pain subsides.

6. Over-The-Counter Painkillers

Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen may also help reduce neck pain from sleeping. 

[Related: 7 Home Remedies for Pinched Nerve in Neck]

What Happens If Pain Persists?

The majority of cases of sleeping-related pain aren’t serious. Essentially, if the neck pain persists after you’ve addressed the common causes and remedies for sleeping problems, or if other symptoms appear, you should visit a neck pain doctor.

A medical evaluation is necessary if your neck pain symptoms come with the following:

• fever
• headache
• chest pain
• lump in your neck
• swollen glands
• difficulty swallowing
• tingling in your limbs
• pain that spreads
• bladder or bowel problems

To book a doctor’s appointment for pelvic congestion syndrome, call VISP at 928.771.8477.