Waking up with a sore neck from sleeping is common. For many people, this happens every once in a while, and it doesn’t impact their lives. Things are different if you wake up at least once a week with a stiff neck after sleeping. If neck pain is affecting your quality of life, it’s time to take action.
By understanding the cause of the pain, you can address it and prevent it from occurring in the future. Learn about the potential causes of a sore neck after sleeping and how to get relief.
What Causes a Sore Neck After Sleeping?
If you woke up with neck pain, the way you slept may be the reason. One of the following issues could be the cause of your sore neck.
Your Sleeping Position
Most people have a preferred position that makes it easier to fall asleep. Not all of these positions may be helping your neck, however.
If you sleep on your stomach, you’re more likely to experience neck pain. This position twists your neck to one side for hours, leading to muscle and ligament strains. That translates into soreness and stiffness in the morning. Sleeping on your stomach can also strain your back, especially if your stomach sinks into the mattress.
The best sleeping positions are those that support a neutral alignment in your spine, including in your neck. Your neck should not flex forward, backward, or to either side. Any other position could result in a sore neck from sleeping.
Your Pillow
Not every pillow will provide your cervical spine with the support it needs. One that doesn’t cradle your head and neck can lead to tension in your neck muscles. This tension may result in you waking up with sore neck issues.
Either too many or not enough pillows can be problematic. Very thick pillows (or a stack of them) can overflex the neck, which compresses the spine. Likewise, very thin pillows allow for overextension in the opposite direction. These sleeping positions both put pressure on your neck muscles.
Your Mattress
A mattress that is too soft or too firm can also cause neck pain. These mattresses may not support your spine as needed. They may allow your spine to bend or curve unnaturally, which puts strain on your neck muscles and joints.
A very firm mattress can also cause pressure points in your shoulders — another common cause of neck pain. If your mattress is too soft, your body can sink into it, causing a misalignment of the spine. A mattress that sags in the middle can also strain your muscles and spine.
Sudden Movement
Another common cause of a sore neck from sleeping is sudden movements during the night. If you move your limbs abruptly in a dream or sit up too quickly, you can pull your neck muscles. The same can occur if you toss and turn while trying to fall asleep or even while you’re sleeping.
Previous Injuries
Have you suffered a previous injury to your cervical spine or to any muscles in the area? The wrong pillow or sleeping position could make it worse. If you continue to wake up with pain from an old injury, take notice. The injury might not have fully healed and could require further care.
Treating Neck Pain From Sleeping
If you keep waking up with neck pain, there are effective treatments and prevention tools. The severity of the pain, how long it lasts, and how it impacts your day are important. Each of these factors will play a role in finding the right treatment.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help from medical professionals. This is especially important if the pain is severe, you feel confused, or you’re experiencing nausea, vomiting, or light sensitivity. These may be signs of a medical emergency.
Change Your Sleeping Position
If you tend to sleep on your stomach, try to change your habits and sleep on your side or back. Since you don’t have full control of your body while you sleep, this could be harder than you think.
After you get into bed, place pillows or rolled-up towels tight against your sides. This could stop you from moving onto your stomach while sleeping. You will have to consistently do this to train your body to remain in place.
Try an Appropriate Pillow
If you have neck pain from pillows, you’ll need to find a better pillow. Look for neck support that allows your spine to remain in a neutral position. Since your cervical spine has an arch in it, the best choice may be a cervical pillow.
Don’t assume that a therapeutic pillow will be enough to address the problem, however. Your mattress could be contributing to your neck pain. Think about the combined impact of your mattress and pillow to understand why you have a sore neck from sleeping.
Use Ice or Heat
Placing ice or a cold pack against the sore area can help if the pain is mild. You can do this for about 20 minutes at a time. The cold will help reduce any swelling in your neck muscles. Remember not to place ice directly onto your skin.
If you have had neck pain for a few days, you can also try a heat pack. Place it on the sore area for about 20 minutes, as well. The heat can help relax tight muscles.
Take Over-the-Counter Anti-Inflammatories
If the pain is more severe, taking anti-inflammatories can help. Ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen are common choices.
Do Gentle Neck Exercises
Unless the stiffness and pain are severe, you can try to do gentle neck exercises like soft rolls. These exercises help to keep blood flowing to the area, which can assist with healing. If you practice yoga, try some of your usual exercises to see if they help. However, stop immediately if you feel severe pain.
Rest
Resting your neck muscles may be the best treatment. Do you spend a lot of time on the computer, for example? Avoid that as much as possible for a day or two. Allow the muscles to heal.
Get Chiropractic Help
Chiropractic care may be necessary if a neck ache after sleeping interferes with your life or is severe. A chiropractor can also assist you with related issues. Consider seeking care if you have a limited range of motion because of inflammation or if you’re experiencing headaches.
By performing chiropractic adjustments, your provider works to bring your spine into alignment again. These adjustments can address the underlying causes of neck pain, which may include swelling.
Why Chiropractic Care Can Be Effective for Neck Pain
Chiropractic care can be effective for all manner of neck pain. Services for clients with sore necks may begin with hands-on spinal manipulation techniques. Using gentle pressure, a chiropractor can improve the alignment of your cervical spine.
Better alignment allows blood, oxygen, and nutrients to flow more easily to the injured or sore area. This supports healing. Chiropractic manipulations help ease pressure from joints, too, which could be causing pain to radiate up to your neck. Adjustments may also assist with relieving muscle spasms.
One method that can be helpful for neck pain is Cox Technic. This technique helps ease pressure on the discs in the spine, which can result in fast pain relief. Often, slipped or herniated discs are the cause of more severe pain. The Cox Technic can help decompress pressure on the nerves in the area.
Additionally, your chiropractor may recommend other holistic treatments, including electrical muscle stimulation. This therapy involves delivering carefully calibrated surges of electricity to the injured muscles so that they can start rebuilding themselves.
The Benefits of Regular Chiropractic Care
If your neck hurts after sleeping or you have issues such as back pain or headaches, there are effective treatments. Importantly, you may benefit from regular sessions with a chiropractor.
Chiropractic manipulations can reduce inflammation and relieve pressure from joints and nerves. These treatments aim to prevent the muscle tightness that you may experience after daily activities.
Improved posture is another benefit you can expect from chiropractic care. When your spine is in alignment, you’ll naturally find it easier to sit and stand correctly. Proper posture prevents pain and muscle tightness. Your flexibility and balance can also improve, as can your range of motion.
Furthermore, your chiropractor will be on the lookout for issues like tightness, disc problems, and misalignments. Catching these issues early can make them easier to resolve and save you from serious discomfort.
Find Relief From Neck Pain
Are you waking up all too often with neck pain or soreness? You may have already tried all of the home remedies without success. The next step is to turn to a chiropractor. At Algonquin Chiropractic Center, we offer holistic care for pain and tightness in the neck and spine.
Contact our team to schedule an appointment with Dr. Galante.
