Neck and Shoulder Pain? Your Sleep May Be the Cause

We all require a good night’s sleep for repairing and rejuvenating our body; improving our immunity; alleviating inflammation; improving brain health, cognitive functions, psychological health; and enhancing creativity. It is a known fact that our body repairs itself when we sleep at night. Remember the time you woke up in the morning with a stiff neck/shoulder? Blame it on sleeping gone wrong.

In most cases, it is nothing to be concerned about, as poor sleeping postures can easily be rectified. However, if the pain persists, make a quick visit to your healthcare professional.

Causes of Aches and Pains

1) Poor Sleeping Posture: One of the main causes is sleeping posture. When we sleep on our stomachs, with our head facing one side, our neck is in an awkward position, which causes spasms or strains in the shoulder and neck, leading to pain and stiffness.

Solution: Sleep on your side or on your back. Sleeping on the left side aids digestion and prevents acid reflux. Sleep on your back with a small pillow supporting your neck to keep it neutral, and keep a pillow between your knees or thighs to relax the neck muscles and keep the spine flat, and keep your hands on the side or on your chest. Always keep your ears, shoulders and hips aligned in a straight line.

2) Poor Posture: Our sedentary lifestyle is the cause of poor posture; be it lugging around our laptop bag/knapsack, hunching over the computer for long durations without a break, prolonged periods of sitting in one place, lounging on the sofa while watching TV, using mobile devices for most of the day, or even stress. All these strain the muscles, leading to pain.

Solution: Learn to limit digital usage for important tasks and emergencies. Invest in a good quality bag that supports both your shoulders and avoid slinging it on any one shoulder. After every 45 minutes on your computer, get up and walk around the room for a couple of minutes; sit upright on the sofa when watching TV. Walk around the premises while talking on your mobile. All these small tweaks will keep you on the move and help to alleviate any aches and pains arising from poor posture.

3) Improper Support: Lack of proper support for your body while sleeping also leads to pain and stiffness. Hard pillows and soft mattresses are more harmful than you know.

Solution: Use a good quality firm (not hard) mattress that supports your body. There are special neck pillows available that can ease pressure on the neck and relax the muscles. Do not use soft mattresses or hard pillows, as these cause aches and pains.

4) Poor Sleeping Pattern: A poor sleeping pattern can also lead to shoulder pain/headache/stiff hands. If you are not getting enough sleep, if you are drinking coffee in the evening, if you are glued to your mobile at bedtime, if you watch TV until you fall asleep;

Solution: Improve your sleeping pattern. Have an early dinner (at least 3-4 hours before bedtime); restrict your coffee to the afternoon; keep your mobile away once you reach home; do not check your emails at night (maintain work-life balance); wear comfortable nightwear; use clean, soft, bedsheets and bedspreads; keep the room dark; practice some simple, gentle stretches before sleeping; do some breathing exercises to calm yourself; drink warm milk before bedtime; take a short shower to relax; don’t drink too much water before bedtime; maintain the routine of sleeping and waking at the same time each day. Be consistent, and it is possible.

5) Stress: Stress is an integral part and parcel of our lives. We have to learn to manage it better and live with it. It is the cause of physical and psychological issues, if left unmanaged, like sleepless nights, disrupted sleep, unwanted thoughts, fatigue, headaches, feelings of fear or despair, poor digestion, stiff muscles, and sore aches.

Solution: Learn to manage stress by keeping your work and home life apart; don’t bring work home and don’t take home to work; practice Yoga and meditation for that mind-body-emotional balance. Learn to smile more, as it will make you feel better immediately. Accept the fact that stress is a given. Acknowledge your feelings then, whether good or not-so-good and don’t try to change them. Learn to relax.

Some other remedies include :

Neck Brace: Wear a neck brace to prevent neck pain from elevating, but only on the advice of your healthcare professional.
Compress: Use a hot or cold compress for 15 minutes each, alternately, before sleeping for relief from neck pain.
RICE (Rest, Ice, compress, elevate): For shoulder pain, use the RICE method. R= Rest the shoulder for 48 hours; I= Ice pack to be applied four to eight times a day; C= Compress the shoulder with a wrap or bandage; E = Elevate your shoulder above the chest. This method is recommended by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Medication: Pain relievers can be taken only if prescribed by your healthcare professional. Do not self-medicate, as it may lead to complications.
Medical Advice: Seek medical advice immediately if symptoms of headache, fever, weakness in legs, sudden weight loss, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, pain in the jaw or arm, stiffness and inability to move neck, or if neck pain.

Conclusion

Do you know that when you are very, very exhausted, it is a huge effort to fall asleep? A good night’s restorative sleep is essential. Now that you know the reasons and solutions, it will be easier for you to manage your aches and pains caused by sleeping.

Good night, sleep tight!