Getting a good night’s sleep is an imperative part of success, but many people struggle because of sleep-induced neck pain that causes them to toss and turn all night before struggling all morning. Rather than forcing yourself to deal with crippling neck pain, you should take some concrete steps to improve the way you’re getting sleep. In the meantime, a number of useful tips can be relied upon for when it comes to repairing sleep-induced neck pain.
Here’s what we know about sleep-induced neck pain and how many people it’s impacting today, and some common steps you can take to help alleviate our suffering.
Neck pain is quite common
If you’re seriously worried about the neck pain you’re suffering from, it’s worthwhile to take a deep breath and consider the big picture. After all, many people suffer from neck pain for a variety of reasons, and information from the CDC informs us that neck pain is often just as common if not more so than serious headaches or migraines. Well over one in every ten Americans reported experience neck pain in some fashion in 2014, according to the CDC, with many doubtlessly suffering because of their sleeping positions.
If you’re struggling with sleep-induced neck pain, the first thing you should do is analyze your sleeping arrangement to determine the root of the problem. An awkward angle is likely the cause of your suffering – having your head or neck tilted on your pillow for hours on end is a surefire way to cramp up and have a rotten morning, for instance. Some people also report neck injuries from sudden movements in their sleep, or from suddenly jerking upwards if they wake up with a start. As always, a calm and quiet sleep environment will help you avoid these calamities in the first place.
The most common therapies for severe neck strain are relatively affordable and quite easy to do at home. Ice or heat therapy is an easy way to get quick relief, for instance; depending upon the location and severity of your pain, applying ice can help you diminish any swelling that may have occurred overnight. For muscles that are tight, hot water can be immensely relaxing and help destress you in the event that you’re suffering from serious pain. Consider a shower, warm bath, or rinse with the sink to help sooth your ailing neck after a long night of tossing and turning.
Turning to massages
If you’re still struggling with sleep-induced neck pain after relying on ice or heat treatments you bought from a medical supplies store, you may find that turning to massages is the answer to your problems. Massages aren’t just relaxing but are also scientifically proven to help reduce muscle strain and alleviate patients who report consistent pain in their everyday life. A study that featured a randomized trial of therapeutic massages found that consistent massages over many weeks helped patients soothe their pain. It’s thus far to say that you may need to seek some professional help if you’re consistently dealing with sleep-induced neck pain after trying to treat it at home.
Sometimes, the pain from sleeping in a bad position can be made worse by your everyday activities, too. Sitting down at a computer at all hours of the day and staring at a screen can lead to neck strain in and of itself, for instance, so your sleep-induced neck pain may be made all the worse in your subsequent waking hours if you’re not positioned properly. Be sure to enforce a good posture on yourself at all times, as sitting improperly for hours on end can hurt your back, neck, and wrist quite easily.
Strenuous activities and exercise should also be avoided if you’re struggling with neck pain, particularly if it’s a sharp pain that spikes upon turning your head or making a sudden movement. As always, you should solicit the help of a reliable medical professional if your sleep-induced neck pain continues to wear at you for days on end or shows signs of getting worse. Remember that a simple adjustment to your daily seating positions, your nightly sleeping positions, and the angle of your pillows may be all that’s needed to soothe your neck over time, however.
