How To Get Rid of Neck Pain From Sleeping Wrong?

Many people do not realize just how much work their necks do during the course of the day. For example, your neck has to support your head when you stare at a computer, watch TV, and look down at the phone. The head is one of the heaviest parts of the body, so your neck has to do a lot of work. As a result, it should come as no surprise that people suffer from neck pain from time to time.

You need to give your neck a break when you go to bed at night, so it can be very frustrating when you develop neck pain from sleeping wrong. Why does this happen, and how can you get rid of neck pain that stems from sleeping poorly? Take a look at several important tips below!

Why Does Neck Pain Happen While Sleeping?

The biggest reason why people develop neck pain from sleeping wrong is that their neck muscles are doing more work than they should. If you do not have a proper sleeping posture, your neck muscles are going to get strained. As a result, they are going to weaken.

When your neck muscles start to get weak, you will feel discomfort in your neck. You may feel like you have a knot on one side of your neck. Or, you may feel like you have a difficult time rotating your head from side to side. You may even have a hard time watching TV or looking at a computer screen because your neck is so uncomfortable.

Fortunately, there are a few ways you can get rid of neck pain that develops due to sleep issues.

Start By Fixing Your Sleeping Posture

The first thing you need to do is remove the cause of neck pain from your sleep problems. When you go to bed at night, it is fine for you to lay on your back or side; however, you should not lie on your stomach. When you lay on your stomach, you have to rotate your head to one side or the other to breathe properly. This places a significant amount of stress on your neck.

Instead, always make sure you sleep on your back or side. You should make sure your pillow is the proper height for your neck. Ideally, your neck should make a straight line with your spinal column similar to when you are standing straight with your shoulders back. If you keep your neck in the proper position while sleeping, you should be able to get rid of the cause of your neck pain.

Apply Ice or Heat to the Area

In addition, there are several things you can do to treat neck pain that has already occurred. One of the first treatment options you should try is applying heat or ice to the painful area. The first thing you should do is apply ice for approximately 48 to 72 hours. You should only hold the ice pack in place for approximately 15 to 30 minutes at a time. Then, give yourself a break before applying ice again. This is important for reducing inflammation.

Then, you should use heat after that. You can take a warm shower, use a heating pad, or apply a hot compress. This is important for getting the muscles to relax. Make sure you do not go to bed with a heating pad or an ice pack. If you expose your skin to extreme temperatures for a long amount of time, you could suffer injuries.

Stretch Your Neck Regularly

Next, you should make sure you stretch your neck regularly. There are a few simple stretches you can do to relax a stiff neck. These include:

• Roll your shoulders from back to front ten times. Do this exercise slowly and deliberately. Try to stretch your shoulders back as far as you can.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together as far as possible. Do this 10 times. Then, take a break and try it again.
• Touch your ear to your shoulder 10 times. You may have a difficult time doing this at first because the muscles are tight. The more you do it, the more flexible you should become.

If you perform these exercises several times per day, you should see results within about a week or so.

Get a Massage

You should also get a massage. A professional massage therapist understands how to identify knots in your neck. Then, he or she is going to work on those areas of the body, relaxing your muscles while improving your range of motion. Massage therapy is also important for reducing stress, which can be one of the most common reasons why you have a difficult time sleeping at night. Massage therapy is a great way for you to relax, which can help you get rid of neck pain due to improper sleep.

See a Chiropractor for an Adjustment

Finally, one of the most important things you should do is visit a chiropractor for an adjustment. A chiropractor has been trained to use manual therapy to make sure the ligaments, tendons, and joints are properly aligned. This includes the structures in the neck.

If you have placed a significant amount of stress on your neck muscles, your vertebrae may no longer be in the proper position. This can make it difficult for your body to recover naturally. A chiropractor can take a look at the alignment in your neck and spine. Then, he or she can realign the vertebrae, placing your body in the best position possible to recover.

Visit Dr. Wagner Today for Help with Neck Pain!

If you are looking for help with neck pain in Daytona Beach, Florida, then rely on Dr. Wagner to help you. We have a significant amount of experience treating a variety of neck pain causes. If you have a stiff neck after sleeping at night, allow us to help you improve your quality of sleep by treating your neck pain! Contact us today to make an appointment!

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