Neck pain is one fast way to develop sleeping disorders. Having a sound and quality sleep while experiencing a lot of pain in your neck is almost impossible. Being the 4th leading cause of disability globally and resulting in the disability of about 2% of adults in the United States, you’d be needing more than a neck support pillow to curb its severity.
The effects of neck pain are detrimental to the health of its patients and the economy at large. With 42% of workers with neck pain missing work for over a week, productivity and earnings would decline. Hence, the need to avoid or manage it cannot be overemphasized.
In this article, we’ll be sharing important tips that’ll help you ease the burden of a sore neck as you go to bed.
The Best Sleeping Positions for Neck Pain
Your sleeping position plays a huge role in the health condition of your spine and neck. While it may seem difficult to adjust to a sleeping position you’re not accustomed to, maintaining the right position before bed makes it easier. Keeping your shoulders, hips, and ears aligned will help enhance your sleep posture.
Do not sleep on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach on the bed is the worst position for neck pain. Your head is turned, the neck is twisted, and your back is tilted up, and there is a lot of pressure on your joints and nerves. The alignment of your spine is entirely jeopardized when you sleep in this position.
Sleeping on your back
This is unarguably the best sleeping position for neck and shoulder pain. However, its effectiveness can be reduced when a bulky pillow is used. Sleeping on your back is supposed to help you maintain a standing position as you sleep, and only a cervical pillow can help you achieve this.
Sleeping on your side
Sleeping on your side; with a thick pillow will help keep your head neutral and avoid breathing irregularities. Putting a soft pillow between your knees will also prevent severe neck pain after sleeping.
How to Get Rid of Neck Pain from Sleeping Wrong
With an annual prevalence range of between 30 – 50 %, neck pain may be hard to get rid of if proper care isn’t taken. There are a couple of ways to get rid of neck pain before it gets worse. Here are some of them;
- Place an ice or heat pack on your neck for at least twenty minutes to reduce muscle inflammations in your neck.
2. See a professional physical therapist. They can recommend drugs, exercises, and other activities that’ll eliminate the pain.
3. Make sure your phone is at your eye level. Consistently bending your neck to text is hazardous to your neck muscles.
4. Try stretching your neck before going to bed. You get to loosen tight muscles during this process.
5. Avoid putting too much weight on your back and shoulders.
6. Maintain a good standing and sitting posture. Do not limit yourself to just having a good posture when you sleep.
Conclusion
Everyone is likely to have a sore neck at least once in a lifetime. Our daily activities make this so. However, managing it is not rocket science. To keep the neck pain away, try using a mattress that’s best for side sleepers, thinner pillows, practice healthy sleeping habits, and exercise regularly. This way, you keep your neck and back as strong and healthy as possible.