How To Sleep With A Stiff Neck?

Having a stiff neck can be extremely uncomfortable and may impact the way you sleep at night. The sharp pain from turning your neck and body that you’re pretty much forced to sleep in one position the entire night. Find out how to sleep with a stiff neck in this article.

We will discuss the importance of quality sleep and explore strategies and tips to help you find comfort and relief.

What Causes a Sore or Stiff Neck?

A sore or stiff neck occurs when your neck muscles are strained or tense. This can happen for many reasons.

One of the common causes of a sore neck is a minor sprain or injury. This often arises from sleeping at an awkward angle, slouching for an extended period, looking down at your phone for a long time, being involved in a car accident, or a result of stress [1].

Other causes may include arthritis or meningitis [2].

Sleeping Positions for Neck Pain

If you want to get a good night’s sleep despite the stiffness in your neck, then what you need is a sleeping position that will ease the pressure or tension on your neck muscles and nerves.

Two sleeping positions that ease neck pain are sleeping on your side and sleeping on your back.

Sleeping on your side

Sleeping on your side can help ease a painful neck as it keeps your head, neck, and spine aligned in a neutral position. According to a 2019 study, it was found that participants who slept mostly on their side did not report much neck pain issues compared to those who did not sleep on their side [3].

Sleeping on your side is also a good option for those who have snoring problems, acid reflux, or are pregnant.

To sleep in this position, you want to ensure that you are using a pillow that is not too thick or too thin. You can also place a pillow in between your knees to make it more comfortable.

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Sleeping on your back

Sleeping on your back can help to ensure that your neck stays in a straight line, provided that you are using pillows for support. You can use a cervical pillow or place one beneath your knees to maintain the natural curve of your spine [4].

How to Relieve Neck Stiffness

If you’re here, chances are you’re experiencing neck stiffness or discomfort. Since you can’t avoid or prevent it at this point, what are some ways to relieve it?

Here are 3 simple ways that can help reduce and relieve the pain that you are feeling [5]:

• Use heat and cold therapy: Apply a heat pad to the neck area or take a warm bath for relief. Afterward, you can also use an ice pack to relieve the muscle strain in your neck. Keep alternating the two until you feel the symptoms improve.
• Do some gentle stretches or exercises: Try doing some gentle stretches or exercises for the neck for around 5-10 minutes a day. Some exercises include neck rolls, shoulder rolls or side neck tilts.
• Use an over-the-counter pain reliever: You can also use an over-the-counter pain reliever for mild to moderate pain, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin.

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Ways to Prevent Neck Pain

Here are some ways that you can prevent neck pain from happening:

• Do not sleep on your stomach: Sleeping on your stomach puts a lot of pressure on your spine as your back is not curved in towards your mattress, and neck towards the side.
• Avoid staying in one position for too long: Staying in the same position for too long can cause your neck muscles to be strained. Try not to sit at your desk for too long, instead, you want to get up and walk around or do some stretches.
• Avoid carrying heavy bags: Carrying a bag that’s too heavy can pull your neck and shoulder muscles, causing neck and shoulder pain.
• Try not to make any sudden movements or jerking: Sudden movements or jerking of your head can sometimes worsen inflammation in your neck, prolonging the pain and discomfort.
• Do not look down at your phone excessively: Try not to look down at your phone for a long time as this can cause a strain in your neck, resulting in pain and stiffness.
• Exercise regularly: Exercising regularly, even if they are gentle, low-impact exercises such as yoga or swimming can help to relieve muscle tension or stiffness.

When To See a Doctor

If you continue to experience pain in your neck that doesn’t improve after a few weeks, even with self-care strategies, worsening headache, unexplained weight loss, swelling or redness in the neck region, you should seek help from a doctor immediately.

Those who have been dealing with long-term chronic pain may be recommended to see an osteopath or a physical therapist for further diagnosis and treatment.

Conclusion

A stiff neck often occurs from your neck muscles being strained. When this happens, your sleep may be disrupted due to the discomfort and pain arising from it. Fortunately, you can relieve the pain temporarily by sleeping on your side or back, using heat and cold therapy, doing gentle stretches or using a pain reliever.

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