07 Jun Why Does My Neck Hurt When I Wake Up? How To Fix Neck Pain From Sleeping
“After sleeping I was awoken by a terrible neck pain. I tried to remember how I fell asleep and what woke me up, but I couldn’t. I tried to remember what happened before sleeping, but I couldn’t.”
We’ve all been through something like this. In fact, as many as 2/3rds of the population has dealt with neck pain at some point in their lives. But what can be done about it?
Fixing neck pain after sleeping is a topic where there are many different suggestions and answers. So, what is the best way to fix neck pain after sleeping? To deal with this issue, it is recommended to learn what caused it in the first place.
Why Is Your Neck Sore After Waking Up?
There could be many reasons why your neck hurts after sleeping.
However, if you have no history of neck or back injury, and you haven’t done any strenuous activity, the most likely culprit is that you slept in a position that caused your neck muscles to tighten and cause pain.
What To Do When You Sleep On Your Neck Wrong
- Use a heat pack or hot water bottle to relieve pain. While this won’t fix the issue, this should help reduce some of the pain.
- Take a Tylenol or Advil to relieve neck pain after sleeping.
How To Get Rid Of Neck Pain From Sleeping
If you constantly wake up with a sore neck, you might have to change some things about the way you sleep.
Sleep On Your Back Or Side
Stomach sleeping can cause neck problems because your head is turned to the side in order to stay breathing. It can also cause excess pressure on the lungs. Switching to back or side sleeping can help reduce stress on your neck muscles and potentially make it easier for you to wake up without pain.
Switch Your Pillow
While many pillow companies will promise that their pillow is the best one, the reality is that all necks and spines are different and will need different levels of spinal support. Ideally, if you’re dealing with neck pain after sleeping, you want to choose a firm pillow that is not too large. This will keep the neck aligned and your head at the same level as the rest of your body.
You will also want to choose a pillow that suits your preferred sleeping position. Side sleepers should use a larger pillow.
Yoga & Stretching
One of the best ways to relieve muscle pain is to take up yoga stretching or some other stretching practice. Flexibility exercises can help make your neck muscles stronger and more mobile, allowing for less neck muscle pain.
To learn more about yoga: What Are The Best Yoga Poses For Relieving Pain?
However, if you have been dealing with neck pain for some time, it might be a sign of a bigger problem. You may want to contact a neck pain specialist in that case.
Neck Pain Relief in Chicago
Illinois Pain & Spine Institute is your trusted source for neck pain relief in Chicago. We serve Chicagoland and surrounding areas. Take our pain quiz to get started!