BEST Sleeping Positions For Neck Pain Relief! Tips from a Physical Therapist

Eliminate nighttime neck pain with these simple tips! The best sleeping positions to eliminate neck pain and help you sleep better. Presented by a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

===================================================
===================================================

OTHER VIDEOS YOU’LL FIND USEFUL

Tired of waking up with a stiff, painful neck in the morning? The problem could very well be your sleeping position! In this video, I’ll cover the best sleeping postures and what you can do to sleep comfortably, resulting in a better night’s sleep without any morning neck pain!

WHAT IS THE BEST SLEEP POSITION?
Honestly the best sleep position is one that holds your spine a neutral position comfortably. That’s it! “Neutral” simply means not flexed forward or backwards, side to side, or rotated. As long as you can maintain a relaxed, neutral position at your neck and rest comfortably you’re doing it right!

WHY DO I WAKE UP WITH NECK PAIN?
If you do wake up with a stiff, painful neck in the morning, chances are it’s because you did not hold your head in a neutral position through the night. It may have been rotated to one side, bent to one side, or flexed too far forward. Your joints don’t like to be held in these end-ranges of their motion for long periods of time and if they are - they’ll let you know about it.

BEST SLEEP POSITIONS FOR NECK PAIN
In this video, I’ll discuss the three most-common sleeping positions: on your stomach, on your side, and on your back, and share some tips to maintain a better neck position which will result in a better sleep with less pain in the morning.

PEOPLE MOVE IN THEIR SLEEP
One fact that I am VERY aware of (thanks to thousands of YouTube comments on other videos) is that people rarely stay in one position all night. That’s not new information. However, if I can help you to at least fall asleep and spend the first couple of hours in the right position, you’ll be surprised at how much it can help your neck pain!

SLEEPING ON YOUR STOMACH WITH NECK PAIN (2:35)
Honestly this is the worst position you can sleep in for your neck. You have to spend all night with your head rotated at end range for a long period of time. This typically results in a higher incidence of neck pain and cervical headache/muscle knots. If you are experiencing neck pain when you sleep or when you wake up in the morning - the first thing you might try is to get off your stomach.

SLEEPING ON YOUR SIDE WITH NECK PAIN (4:12)
Choose a pillow that will hold your head/neck in neutral alignment. This is usually accomplished with 2 pillows or you can double one of them over. You can also try a rolled-up towel to fill cavity between your head and shoulders.

SLEEPING ON YOUR BACK WITH NECK PAIN (7:49)
Oftentimes people use 2 pillows as they’re reading, watching TV, looking at their phone, etc, right before bed. This puts your neck in an awful position - especially if you stay there all night. Try using just one pillow to keep your head in a more neutral position. A small rolled up towel on your neck can also help to fill the “cavity” caused by the natural curve in your neck.

Be sure to leave the video a THUMBS UP if you liked it!

Also be sure to SUBSCRIBE and TURN ON THE BELL NOTIFICATIONS so you never miss a future video from Tone and Tighten.

➡️ MORE NECK PAIN VIDEOS FROM TONE AND TIGHTEN:

[orisha]

I’ve been sleeping that way (on belly, with head turned) my entire life and it’s caused chronic shoulder and neck issues. So here I am! Making good on it. Thank you 😊

[christienamosley]

The gentleness by which he repositioned her ponytail 🤗🥰😍

[roo]

If you reading this, have a good day and be safe. God bless you 🙏🏻❤️

[chadwicktl]

I just found your channel. It was divine intervention as I have just started having severe neck and shoulder pain due to too much crocheting. I am now doing your exercises and am following your sleep tips. Thank you so much for your videos. They are a God send.

[elenichristina]

Looking forward to trying the towel insert under my neck as a side sleeper. I’ve been watching your videos on neck pain and stiffness and will be implementing all the stretches this week. Will gradually work my way up to the strengthening exercises. Thank you for such a great YouTube channel and source for those suffering with chronic pain💕✨

[mykalahaynes]

I honestly feel like your videos are saving my life right now lol. I've been experiencing what I think is a linched nerve for quite some time now and your stretches and recommendations are amazing and I feel that they've been really helping, even though I just discovered you 3 days ago. Shared your videos with my father who also has serious neck issues

[debrarusso]

I already tried your neck exercise video and it gave me so much relief from neck pain, I couldn’t believe it but there it is. Thank you. I’ll keep watching you and learning the techniques that can make me and others feel so much better.

[andrevrd]

I think you are going to solve all my neck problems. I watched all the neck vids and now I need to do em everyday. Thanks doc.

[painrescuertv]

Thank you for this video.
In many cases, neck pain comes from bad sleeping positions.
I agree with you.

[matthewhernandez]

Thank you for this I’ve been having terrible next pain and believe it or not I just prayed about finding out how to get a better sleeping position for my neck and I’m truly blessed to find you explain all this, May God bless you!!!❤️

[daniellewissmiller]

Thank you! Today is first day I don’t have pain and I’ve been doing the suggested exercises for two weeks. I do them several times a day. I got Camille’s pillow suggestion and McKenzie roll and you pillow suggestion.
I was in so much pain at night couldn’t lay down for more than 4 hours. Now I feel relieved! Thank you so much to you both!
I’m a PA and work 10-11 hours on computer. I even taught a couple patients the same exercises at work.

[sudharshanshankar]

Hi Jared, I just wanted to thank you for this video. I woke up with terrible neck pain yesterday and watched this video while taking an advil to help me get through the day. I tried the pillow + towel roll and two pillows to hinge my hips and I woke up with absolutely no pain this morning! I'm just so grateful, thank you so much

[welldanm]

thank you so much for this advice! im only 11 years old and i suffer from neck and lower back pain your a life saver

[sandylgb]

THANK I’ve struggled with neck pain that would wake me up every night for well over a year. And I’ve purchased So. Many. Pillows. in a desperate effort to find a solution that didn’t solve the problem. I tried your rolled up towel in the pillowcase trick AND NO MORE NECK PAIN! You’re a lifesaver! Anyone need a gently used pillow? lol!

[xcimlinn]

That ending pillow remedy looks so relieving on the neck and back, like you’re floating with zero stress points! This helps thanks!!

[kaitlynreiss]

so happy i found i have such bad pain in my neck from stomach sleeping and i'm going to buy everything!! thank you for what you do!!!!

[itsrockkk]

Right now I'm in pain 😣😣😣 I hope this will fix soon

[nasgonzo]

You are a great man you don’t even realize how many people your helping

[jiyama]

lately ive been sleeping on my stomach as a side sleeper for all my life. ive been, as long as i can remember, a right side sleeper cuz its the most comfortable. its the side that makes me feel relaxed the most. i avoid making my migraine worse so on right side really helps. when im on my left i feel my migraine so bad, my mind is racing and i feel panicky as hell. i wake up with an even worse migraine. but a year or two ago i think my right sleeping habit has shown side effects that i havent encountered. maybe its me getting old and having chronic fatigue with no exercise to add, that my right arm feel like its been stressed out from being pressed by my body to the point my arm/shoulder bones kinda cracks and feels numb whenever i rotate it to certain directions. i also feel my ribs on my right hurting a bit specially when i try to breathe deep. my right jaw as well has been kinda pushed that it misaligned my teeth positioning. im a hypochondriac so hopefully certain exercises for fatigue can lessen the bone pains i feel

[mdml]

I've gone and bought a memory foam half-round bolster pillow meant for behind the knees to help with SI joint pain as you mentioned in one of your videos. I've found out it also works well to support my head and neck gap when side sleeping. Now I question the purpose and design of a large pillow when maybe we just need a small one that does the job perfectly. A bed full of pillows for me means most of the time they end up on the floor in the morning. Thanks again for a useful video.