Waking up with neck pain is not a great way to start your day! Whether your neck is stiff, sore, or you feel sharp pain, it can really mess with your plan for the day and your ability to go about your normal routine. While the occasional mild discomfort after a night’s sleep happens to everyone once in a while, severe neck pain from sleeping can be a more serious issue.
Thankfully, there are certain things you can do to adjust your sleep habits. Once you understand what is causing your neck pain, you can try these tips for pain relief and a better night’s sleep.
What Can Cause Neck Pain from Sleeping?
If your neck hurts after sleeping, there could be several causes. The most obvious cause of neck pain after a night’s sleep is that you slept in an awkward or uncomfortable position. This can cause your neck to feel stiff and even reduce the range of motion in your neck. However, there are other causes of neck pain after sleeping that may result in severe neck pain:
- Poor Pillow Support: Using a pillow that is too high, too low, or not supportive enough can strain the muscles and ligaments in your neck, leading to pain when you wake up. A pillow that doesn’t align your head and neck with your spine can put additional pressure on the neck area throughout the night.
- Sudden Movements During Sleep: If you tend to toss and turn throughout the night, a sudden movement could strain your neck muscles or cause a minor muscle spasm. This can lead to a painful kink or cramp in the neck by morning.
- Sleeping on Your Stomach: Stomach sleepers often twist their heads to one side, which can strain the muscles and joints in the neck over time. This awkward positioning can create imbalances and tension that result in neck pain once you wake up.
- Underlying Medical Conditions: Conditions like arthritis or degenerative disc disease can make you more susceptible to neck pain after sleeping. These conditions can cause inflammation around the neck joints, making certain sleeping positions more uncomfortable.
- Previous Neck Injuries: If you have recently experienced an injury like whiplash from a car accident or a sports injury, the affected area may be more sensitive to certain sleeping positions. This can make you prone to waking up with a stiff or sore neck, even after mild pressure during sleep.
- Stress and Muscle Tension: High levels of stress can cause you to hold tension in your neck and shoulders while sleeping. This tension can build up overnight, resulting in a neck cramp after sleeping or waking up with tight, sore muscles.
- Understanding the underlying cause of your neck pain after sleeping can help you make adjustments to your sleeping habits and environment for better comfort and pain relief.
Why Does My Neck Hurt After Sleeping?
Neck pain after sleeping can occur for various reasons, and understanding them can help prevent recurring issues. Here are a few common causes:
- Poor Sleep Position: If you sleep with your neck at an awkward angle, it can lead to neck pain. People who sleep on their stomachs are more likely to strain their necks, leading to stiffness and soreness.
- Unsupportive Pillow: A pillow that doesn’t support the natural curve of your neck can lead to muscle strain. Switching to a more supportive pillow can prevent waking up with severe neck pain.
- Tension and Stress: Stress often manifests physically, causing tightness in the shoulders and neck. This can make it more likely for you to wake up with terrible neck pain after sleeping.
How to Get Rid of a Kink in Neck from Sleeping?
Waking up with a kink or cramp in your neck can be frustrating, and you might be wondering how to get rid of kink in neck from sleeping. Here are a few steps to help ease the discomfort from home:
- Try Gentle Massage: Gently massaging the affected area can help increase blood flow and relieve muscle tightness. Use light pressure to avoid worsening the cramp.
- Apply Heat: A warm shower or heating pad can help relax stiff muscles. Heat therapy can work well if you have a neck cramp after sleeping and need some relief.
- Stretch Slowly: Slowly tilting your head side to side and up and down can help ease tension in your neck. These gentle movements may help improve your range of motion after a night of poor sleep.
10 Tips for Severe Neck Pain After Sleeping
Check out these tips for how to experience relief from severe neck pain after sleeping and how to prevent pain and discomfort in the future.
Cold & Warm Compresses
If you woke up with a stiff, sore neck that is causing you severe pain, then you may want to try applying a warm compress. Applying heat to your neck and shoulders can help relax and soothe stiff, sore muscles. If you are dealing with a neck injury, then cold compresses can also help reduce inflammation in the area that may be making your pain worse.
Change Sleep Positions
The way you sleep can also impact neck pain after sleeping. If you tend to sleep on your stomach, this can put too much stress and pressure on the spine in your neck and lead to neck pain. Over time, this imbalance can lead to chronic pain that may become severe without intervention or treatment. Try sleeping on your back or side so your spine can be in a neutral position while you sleep.
Try a Different Pillow
Finding the right pillow can significantly improve your sleep quality. If you are constantly waking up with severe neck pain after sleeping, you may not have enough neck support. A cervical pillow is designed to help better support your neck while you sleep. You could also try a rolled-up towel or an extra pillow to provide additional support to your head and neck.
Invest in a Firm Mattress
A firm mattress helps prevent your body from sinking into an uncomfortable position while you sleep. You will have more support when you sleep on a firm mattress, and it will allow your spine to rest in a more neutral position without over-extending or stretching the arch in your neck and lower back.
Manage Your Stress
Managing your stress levels can also help you get a good night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. Severe neck pain can happen when you carry around a lot of tension in your shoulders and neck. When your stress levels are high, it impacts you physically and can even cause you to sleep poorly.
Gently Stretch Before Bed
Doing gentle stretches before you go to sleep each night can help you stretch out your muscles. Whether you had a long day full of activities or spent it hunched over a computer, stretching can help loosen muscles and relieve tension in your neck and back. Gentle exercises like cat and cow pose with yoga can help you slowly improve your strength and flexibility.
Gently Stretch in the Morning
Doing gentle stretches in the morning can also help reduce any stiffness you may have developed while you were sleeping. If you notice your neck pain is preventing you from turning your head in certain directions, then gentle stretches can help gradually improve your flexibility. You may also try yoga in the mornings to help stretch out your muscles before you get started on your day.
Strengthen Neck Muscles
Strengthening the muscles in your neck can also help you avoid poor sleep positions that end up making your neck pain more severe. Stretches and exercises can help strengthen your neck muscles naturally so that they provide more support for your head, neck, and upper back. A physical therapist can also walk you through strengthening exercises to help address your severe neck pain in the long run.
Try Therapeutic Massage
Therapeutic massage can help address stiffness and soreness deep in the tissues of your neck and back. A professional can provide you with massage therapy as you relieve stress and tension or recover from a neck injury. Hands-on treatment can help gently massage a sore, stiff neck and increase blood flow to the area to promote healing.
Visit a Chiropractor
Chiropractic care offers an all-natural alternative to pain medications and can provide lasting relief from severe neck pain. A chiropractor can help you improve your posture throughout your day while also helping you find the best sleep position to support your neck while sleeping each night. Chiropractors also identify misalignments in the spine that may be causing you pain and relieve those with a drug-free approach.
Chiropractic Care for Severe Neck Pain After Sleeping
Chiropractic care can be an effective solution for managing and alleviating severe neck pain after sleeping. Chiropractors use gentle, hands-on techniques to adjust the spine and correct any misalignments that may be contributing to neck pain. These adjustments can help restore proper alignment in the cervical spine, reducing pressure on nerves and easing muscle tension. In addition to adjustments, a chiropractor may recommend specific stretches and exercises to strengthen the muscles supporting your neck and improve your posture, both while awake and during sleep. By addressing the root cause of your pain, chiropractic care can offer long-term relief without relying on pain medications. Regular chiropractic visits can also help you maintain a healthier spine so that you can wake up feeling more refreshed and pain-free each morning.
Neck Injuries and Trouble Sleeping
If you woke up with neck pain after sleeping, then you may want to talk to a doctor at AICA Orthopedics in Snellville. Our team of doctors includes those who specialize in treatment for neck injuries caused by car accidents, while playing sports, or due to general wear and tear on the body. Find out what is causing your neck pain from sleeping and how you can experience lasting pain relief with our team at AICA Orthopedics. Our neck doctors will provide you with a personalized treatment plan to address your specific needs and help you start to wake up feeling refreshed and pain-free. By following these tips and making adjustments to your sleep environment and routine, you can find relief from neck pain and enjoy better sleep quality. Don’t let neck pain after sleeping hold you back—take the steps you need for a pain-free morning!