It's not uncommon to experience a poor night's sleep occasionally, waking up with a knot in your back or a crick in your neck. However, if you find yourself experiencing more than your fair share of neck pain in the morning, you may need to find a solution.
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Sleeping in a bad position
The most common cause of neck pain in the morning, is, of course, having slept in a wrenching, or non-neutral position for a period of time. If you're twisting and turning all night, it's a good indication that you're struggling to find your comfortable, neutral position.
Solution Tip: If you're constantly repositioning yourself throughout the night, only to end up in an awkward position causing neck strain, consider your bedding. If you're too hot, find a lightweight comforter or airflow promoting sheets. Finding your comfortable temperature can mean less tossing and turning overnight. Also, try to avoid sleeping on your stomach. It may be your preferred position of comfort, but there is zero neck and back support when you're on your tummy.
Lack of Pillow Support
Another culprit for neck pain after sleeping is poor pillow support. If you're sleeping with an old pillow, that you find yourself fluffing, kneading, or folding in your quest for sleep, you might need a new pillow. A flat pillow will not properly support the weight of your head as you sleep. Your neck will pay the price.
Solution Tip: Consider finding a pillow that offers adjustable head support. A firm padding or stiffer makeup may not seem comfortable at first. But, the added head and neck support will have you waking up fresh and pain-free. There are feather pillows, water-filled pillows, and orthopedic pillows available that might provide just the relief you need.
Poor Mattress Support
You might be experiencing poor sleep and routine neck pain if your mattress isn't supporting your body. A mattress is designed to distribute your body weight throughout your position and accommodate your pressure points as you move. If you're sleeping on an old or unsupportive mattress, your neck could be carrying undue weight and pressure.
Solution Tip: If your mattress is ten, or twenty years old, it's definitely time for a new one. It is commonly recommended that you look to replace your mattress every seven to ten years. It's also suggested that you rotate or flip your mattress every three to six months. Avoid sinking depressions in your mattress that may cause you to lose back and neck support. If no amount of flipping or rotating makes a difference in your decade-old mattress, you may want to look for a replacement.
Neck & Health Issues
You might feel as though you already have comfortable bedding, a new pillow, or a supportive mattress. However, you routinely wake up with ongoing neck aches and pain. You might be suffering from arthritis or other health issues targeting your joints and back. In these cases, more therapeutic mattress and pillow options might provide the relief you need. If you have above-average neck issues, you'll want to explore above-average support options.
Solution Tip: There are a host of therapeutic mattress and pillow options on the market. Even if your bedding setup is relatively new, if you suffer from chronic pain, you may need to consider more supportive relief.
Waking up with neck pain too often can result in ongoing neck and back issues. It's best to take a look at your current sleep habits, positioning, and bedding. If you're ready to find a new mattress, a supportive pillow, or comfortable bedding, contact us! We can help you navigate the bedding options to find the best solutions to your sleeping neck pains.
