Eliminate nighttime neck pain with these simple tips! The best sleeping positions to eliminate neck pain and help you sleep better. Presented by a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
Tired of waking up with a stiff, painful neck in the morning? The problem could very well be your sleeping position! In this video, I’ll cover the best sleeping postures and what you can do to sleep comfortably, resulting in a better night’s sleep without any morning neck pain!
WHAT IS THE BEST SLEEP POSITION? Honestly the best sleep position is one that holds your spine a neutral position comfortably. That’s it! “Neutral” simply means not flexed forward or backwards, side to side, or rotated. As long as you can maintain a relaxed, neutral position at your neck and rest comfortably you’re doing it right!
WHY DO I WAKE UP WITH NECK PAIN? If you do wake up with a stiff, painful neck in the morning, chances are it’s because you did not hold your head in a neutral position through the night. It may have been rotated to one side, bent to one side, or flexed too far forward. Your joints don’t like to be held in these end-ranges of their motion for long periods of time and if they are - they’ll let you know about it.
BEST SLEEP POSITIONS FOR NECK PAIN In this video, I’ll discuss the three most-common sleeping positions: on your stomach, on your side, and on your back, and share some tips to maintain a better neck position which will result in a better sleep with less pain in the morning.
PEOPLE MOVE IN THEIR SLEEP One fact that I am VERY aware of (thanks to thousands of YouTube comments on other videos) is that people rarely stay in one position all night. That’s not new information. However, if I can help you to at least fall asleep and spend the first couple of hours in the right position, you’ll be surprised at how much it can help your neck pain!
SLEEPING ON YOUR STOMACH WITH NECK PAIN (2:35) Honestly this is the worst position you can sleep in for your neck. You have to spend all night with your head rotated at end range for a long period of time. This typically results in a higher incidence of neck pain and cervical headache/muscle knots. If you are experiencing neck pain when you sleep or when you wake up in the morning - the first thing you might try is to get off your stomach.
SLEEPING ON YOUR SIDE WITH NECK PAIN (4:12) Choose a pillow that will hold your head/neck in neutral alignment. This is usually accomplished with 2 pillows or you can double one of them over. You can also try a rolled-up towel to fill cavity between your head and shoulders.
SLEEPING ON YOUR BACK WITH NECK PAIN (7:49) Oftentimes people use 2 pillows as they’re reading, watching TV, looking at their phone, etc, right before bed. This puts your neck in an awful position - especially if you stay there all night. Try using just one pillow to keep your head in a more neutral position. A small rolled up towel on your neck can also help to fill the “cavity” caused by the natural curve in your neck.
Be sure to leave the video a THUMBS UP if you liked it!
Also be sure to SUBSCRIBE and TURN ON THE BELL NOTIFICATIONS so you never miss a future video from Tone and Tighten.
