Did you ever wake up to unbelievable pain in your neck right after you leave your bed? Don’t worry you are not alone there more people suffering from neck pain after sleeping than you think.
Firstly you didn’t do anything wrong you can have a stiff neck after sleeping for quite a few reasons which can be corrected with a few simple fixes.
Causes
There can be many causes of a sore neck from sleeping. A bad sleeping position and not so good pillow are the top two.
1. Sleeping posture:
As we know every human performs several functions differently and varies from other humans due to its uniqueness. Sleeping position is one of them. Every person has their own preferred sleeping position. You might be a side sleeper stomach sleeper or even a back sleeper. But if you are sleeping on your stomach you might have a chance of waking up big neck pain. There are chances that while sleeping on your stomach you may feel a twisting sensation for a long time which can strain the muscles of your neck turning into a severe neck pain in the morning.
Read: What is the correct way of back sleeping
2. Unnoticed movements
Sudden unnoticed movements while sleeping can ruin your neck for the morning. Movements such as waking up quickly from a nightmare or neck movements while sleeping. Even tossing and turning can strain the muscles of your neck exposing it to sudden stress.
3. Pillow
Pillows are the top reason why your neck feels stiff in the morning. We spend at least 8 hours resting our head and our neck on the pillow. In such a case, if you have a pillow that does not support your head and neck you can wake up with neck pain frequently. Researchers believe memory foam pillows to be one of the healthiest and safest pillows for your neck. Even shiny sleep buyers prefer memory foam pillows over any other.
4. Working for long hours
In the digital age, we all are accustomed to working in closed spaces with laptops on our lap and our heads staring into it. Being in the same position for long hours can be really harmful to your neck.
Treatment
No one wants you to wake up with a sore in the neck that can be barely moved without pain. But you will be surprised to know that stiff neck can be treated at home with a few simple home remedies.
1. Cold or hot therapy
When you notice the neck pain, apply some ice on the affected area. The application of ice should go on for at least 10 to 20 minutes. Alternatively you can try heat therapy by using a hot water bottle or warm shower. The heat from the shower all the bottle will act upon the neck loosening the muscles and reducing the pain. Heat therapy should be definitely applied if the neck pain doesn’t go for a day or two.
