Waking up to a stiff neck and shoulder pain after sleeping isn’t the best way to start your day. Now imagine having that every day, it is definitely such a bummer. Having neck and shoulder pain can cause restrictions to your day-to-day activities, limiting your motion ability packaged with sharp and straining pain throughout the day.
Did you know though that your sleep could be the root of the neck pain to begin with? Yup, that’s right. There are various factors to our sleep that play out as the cause of our upper body strains. Fret not, as we go on to discuss the possible causes of neck pain, we will also share a few pointers for prevention along with some relief tips and treatment for those staying in KL, Malaysia!
What Causes Neck Pain During Sleep & How to Prevent Them?
Ever been told that you sleep like you’re doing martial arts on the bed? Sure, it sounds funny, but an awkward sleeping position can lead to neck pain caused by sleeping position. When your head and neck are held in a strained angle for a prolonged period, it stresses the muscles, often resulting in the pain you experience in the morning.
And for those of you who love sleeping on your tummy, time to give that up as research has shown that as your neck will be positioned one-sided strenuously for some time, you easily will wake up with a stiff neck the next morning. Additionally, this also affects your spine giving you unnecessary back aches.
Try sleeping on your sides and your back with proper support for your neck. Put a pillow between your legs if you’re sleeping on your side, to ensure your spine is aligned while you’re sleeping.
Talking about neck support, while fluffy pillows may seem comforting but it isn’t the best thing for your neck. Keeping your neck elevated protects you from misalignment between your neck and your spine, removing the risk of strain and muscles sore on your neck and back altogether. The idea is to ensure your head isn’t sinking too deep into the pillow or too stiff and high from your body. Your sleeping position and pillow matters for your neck pain to go away.
Feather or memory foam pillows for neck pain can be the solution you’re looking for. They both are suited to conform and contour your head and neck on the pillow for support. Add this up with a better sleeping position for neck pain, you may just see the light at the end of the tunnel for your pain.
Dreams can be a bittersweet part of the night that sometimes makes us not only talk but move our limbs along. Sudden movements of that sort or even sitting up too quickly during or waking up to your sleep risk muscle strain around your neck. Likewise, a lot of tossing and turning around while you try to fall asleep or during your sleep adds stress to your neck muscles, causing soreness the next day.
While you don’t have much control over what you do in your sleep, you can keep in mind to avoid making sudden and fast movements while waking up during the night or in the morning. A little mindfulness about your sleeping position and pillow choice can go a long way in managing neck pain caused by sleeping posture.
Is It Normal for Neck Pain to Cause a Headache?
It’s important to note that neck pain causes headaches as well. The tension that builds in your neck muscles can radiate to your head, resulting in discomfort and pain. If you’re experiencing both neck pain and headaches, it’s a sign that your sleeping position may need to be adjusted for better alignment and support. Additionally, considering various treatments could significantly relieve both conditions.
Relief for Stiff Neck Pain & Physio Treatment in KL, Malaysia
There’s nothing much you can do but damage control if you wake up to neck pain. The good old method of cold and heat packs can help remedy the pain you are experiencing. Apply a cold pack for about 20 minutes at a time but if you have the pain for more than a day, then apply a heat pack instead 20 minutes at a time. Cold pack helps to reduce inflammation while a heat pack soothes and relaxes the muscles around your stiff neck.
Over-the-counter drugs are also available in pharmacies along with patches designed for this sort of ailment. There are also neck pain relief exercises you can do everyday to not just help with the pain but also in prevention.
Exercises like neck stretching for about 10 to 20 seconds on each side with hands on your side and standing straight can help you in the simplest way. Another alternative is using dumbbells or anything that has weight while doing a shrug exercise where you move your shoulders up towards your ears slowly for a few seconds before releasing can be done repeatedly up to 10 times in a go.
Regular yoga exercises have also been proven to benefit those who suffer frequent neck pain especially if you’re someone who’s sitting behind the screen for most of the day.
However, being aware that you are facing neck pain during and after sleeping regularly is a hint that you need to seek professional help such as specialized stiff neck pain physio treatment. There are plenty of options for neck pain treatment around KL for you to access the best physiotherapy in Malaysia. While you are at it, you should consider getting yourself shoulder treatment from one of the top physiotherapy centre in Malaysia at the same time to release any form of strain and soreness on your upper body.
