Sleep is an essential aspect of our everyday lives. As we sleep, our bodies go through the phases for muscle repair and memory consolidation. Our body handles the release of hormones that regulate our appetite and growth.
Without a proper night’s rest, our bodies will be unable to do these things. Interrupted sleep can affect our concentration and ability to make decisions. Many things can lead to interrupted sleep.
One of the most common reasons for insufficient sleep is neck pain. Over 70 seven of the general population suffers from neck pain from sleeping. In this article, we give you some tips and tricks for neck pain relief for a better rest.
Home Remedies For Neck Pain
Experiencing neck pain from sleeping can not only affect your sleep quality. Waking up with neck pain can interfere with your daily activities. Here are some tips for relieving neck pain at home.
First, try applying ice or a cold pack to your neck. Do this for twenty minutes. A cold pack can help lessen inflammation in your neck muscles.
If your neck pain lasts for more than a day, use a heat pack or warm compress. Apply to the sore part of your neck for twenty minutes. Using a warm compress can help relax and soothe your neck muscles.
If you still feel pain, you can try taking over-the-counter medication to ease your pain. You can try medication like ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen. You can also try doing light exercises like yoga or walking.
Avoid staying still for too long. Lack of movement can cause the muscles in your neck to tighten up. Gentle exercises help you promote blood flow in your neck.
Create the Proper Sleeping Environment
To get a sufficient amount of sleep, you must optimize your sleeping environment. Aside from reducing neck pain from sleeping, you can optimize your bedroom to get quality sleep. Consider using a neck pillow to reduce any neck pain.
A neck roll is a tubular pillow that you can place under your pillow cover. This helps you keep your neck in a neutral and aligned position. You can make a neck roll on your own by rolling up a bath towel.
Make sure to turn off any electronics before you sleep. Blue light from electronics can affect your ability to sleep and your sleeping patterns. It can restrain melatonin production, a hormone that helps you sleep.
Try to keep your bedroom temperature at 68 degrees or lower. Cooler temperatures can promote better quality sleep. Maintaining a cool temperature while you sleep can help your body regulate itself.
Get a Better Mattress
Investing in a good mattress can help you achieve a better night’s rest. A bad mattress can contribute to poor sleep quality. Sleeping on an old mattress can cause stress to build up.
If left alone, insufficient sleep can have more serious long-term effects. Long-term stress and interrupted sleep can lead to psychological problems like depression. Some may experience tension or anxiety.
Find a mattress that can provide adequate support for your body. A good mattress can evenly distribute your weight to ensure proper alignment of the body. Some mattress comes with pressure points to allow users to experience proper sleep.
Over time, a high-quality mattress can relieve and minimize chronic pain. If you’re looking for a good mattress, try the new latex hybrid Saatva mattress. Check out this review for more information.
Choose the Right Sleeping Posture
Good sleeping posture can promote quality sleep. If you often experience neck pain when you wake up, it may be because of your sleeping position. Consider correcting your sleeping position to reduce any neck pain.
Alignment is one of the key elements to having a good sleeping posture. Keep your hips, shoulders, and ears in an even line. Gaps on your mattress can strain the muscles in your neck and back.
For neck pain, the best sleeping posture is on your side. When sleeping on your side, use a taller pillow to elevate and align your neck with your head. If you sleep on your back, consider using pillows that can support the curvature of your neck.
Avoid sleeping on your stomach. People who sleep on their stomach tend to twist their head to the side or at an awkward angle. Sleeping on your stomach can pressure the nerves in your neck.
Some people sleep upright to relieve neck and back pain. This is a common technique among pregnant women. When sleeping upright, consider using a horseshoe pillow to support your neck.
Exercise Your Neck
If you experience neck pain from sleeping, try exercising. Exercise can help you strengthen your neck muscles. Try some of the following exercises.
Neck Stretch
Stand up straight and keep both hands at either side of your body. Gradually turn your head to the left until you feel slight pressure while keeping your neck and back straight. Hold this position for 10 to 20 seconds then repeat on the other side.
Dumbbell Shrug
If you don’t have a dumbbell, try using a full jug of water, milk, or anything similar. Stand up straight and keep your feet apart at shoulder-width. Straighten your neck and keep your chin up.
Gradually move your shoulders up to your ears while keeping a dumbbell in each hand. Do this at a slow pace and allow your neck and back muscles to contract. Hold for a few seconds then exhale as you lower your shoulders.
Relieve Neck Pain From Sleeping
Now you know some tips and tricks in preventing neck pain from sleeping. Neck pain can prevent you from getting quality sleep and can interfere with your daily performance. There are many factors that can lead to neck pain, but here are some valuable tips to relieve neck pain.
Of course, getting the right amount of sleep without pain is only the start. To discover more health and lifestyle tips, we encourage you to read more of our guides right here, today!