Suffering neck pain after sleep? Learn about the causes and how to avoid it

Waking up feeling worse than when you went to bed can be the real nightmare. But it's easily solved.

Sleep is important in order to relax and recharge. No one can go on for long without it. It not only calms our depressed and exhausted minds but also relaxes the body. We sleep tired and when we wake up, we feel refreshed. That’s due to the state your mind reaches while you are sleeping.

But what about the days when sleep does the exact opposite of what it is supposed to – the days when you wake up more tired then you were before sleeping?

A lot of people suffer from neck pains and headaches after sleep. It may be due to several reasons. If you are also experiencing neck pain after sleep, here are some causes and important instructions on how to avoid it.

Neck pain after sleep

The cervical spine (vertebra of the neck) is a delicate part of the spine. It has an essential job of holding and moving your head all day. With perfect posture, the human head weighs around 4,5 to 5,5 kgs. The 2014 Study suggests that with a 60-degree tilt, the weight can increase up to 27 kgs.

On one hand, all that weight puts a massive burden on the muscle that supports your head and neck, whereas, on the other hand, a sleeping position or tilted head may result in severe neck pain.

Neck pain causes

There can be many different causes for neck pains, but the two primary reasons are the sleeping position and the pillow you use while sleeping.

1. Sleeping position

Your sleeping position determines how you will wake up the next day; tired or relaxed. Research has concluded that about 5% of chronic pain is the result of sleeping problems. You may get your neck twisted during the sleep.

Everyone has a different sleeping position. A tilted neck position or tummy sleeping can put some extra work around your spine and make it stiff and rigid.

Sleep on either of the two sides to avoid stomach sleeping position, or you can also put a pillow between your legs to make sure that your neck aligned with your spine.

2. Pillow

The concept that a hard pillow can hurt our necks is wrong. Your favorite soft pillow can also cause neck pain. Everyone keeps their cervical spine aligned during the day – we need to do the same while sleeping

It’s almost impossible to control the position of your head in the subconscious state of mind during sleep, but your pillow can help with that, making sleep much more relaxed and comfortable for you. An excellent pillow can keep your neck aligned with the spinal cord.

You need just the right pillow, one that supports your head and neck and relieves you from tiring neck pains. Designed with travelers in mind, those who sleep in the most uncomfortable positions, Ostrichpillow is specially designed to provide support to your neck and head at bedtime and during the flight.

3. Other causes

  • Sudden movement: Sudden movement during the sleep or turning and rolling around all over the bed in order to be comfortable can also cause tension and stress in your neck.
  • Working posture: A habit of working for too long with your head tilted or slouching in your chair can also cause neck pain. Poor working posture can cause your muscle and neck joints to tire and become overly burdened. When the neck muscle gets tired and stiff, you can no longer move your neck smoothly.

Suffering neck pain after sleep?

Neck pain exercises

There are different pain killers and home remedies to treat neck pain, but a couple of easy and straightforward exercise can help treat or reduce the chances of suffering it.

Neck stretch

Doctors highly recommend neck stretch. It can be done daily or five days per week to treat neck pain.

  • >Hold your hands around yourself.
  • Gradually turn your head to one side until you feel a slight tension, With your neck and back straight.
  • Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. At that point, gradually turn your head to one side and do likewise.
  • Rehash three or multiple times on each side. You can do this activity consistently.

Dumbbell shrug

The dumbbell shrug is highly effective for neck pain. Moving your shoulder up towards the ears with a dumbbell in each hand, a square chin and neck can reduce your neck pain. It will also activate the muscle in your cervical spine and treat the neck pain caused by sleep. You can do this exercise thrice a week.



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Photo by Levi Stute on Unsplash
Photo by Adrian Swancar on Unsplash

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