The Worst Sleeping Position for Neck Pain

We are asleep for almost one-third of our lives. At least, we should be, given that eight hours is the generally accepted target for nightly rest. When sleep is difficult due to pain in your neck, you might be forced to go through days fighting the effects of sleep deprivation. 

Your sleeping position closely relates to the quality of your sleep. In fact, the wrong position can contribute to the pain you feel at night. Problems with the alignment of your spine can also disrupt sleep quality and cause neck pain. Therefore, your search for a better night’s sleep should include a visit to Herald Square Chiropractic and Sport, located in New York, New York, for assessment and adjustment. 

Share your sleep issues with our team, and we’ll help to restore your body conditions to improve rest and recovery.

The worst sleeping position for neck pain

You have three options for body orientation while you sleep: on your back, side, or stomach. If you have neck pain, or if sleeping is causing neck pain, you may be sleeping on your stomach for most of the night. 

Stomach sleeping isn’t the only condition that aggravates or causes neck pain, but it’s a good place to start if you know that being face down is part of your nightly routine. 

Avoiding stomach sleep

Reprogramming behavior when you’re asleep isn’t easy. Start with a visit to Herald Square Chiropractic and Sport for a chiropractic assessment of your spine health to ensure there isn’t another reason for your neck pain. 

Next, try to change your sleep mindset. Sometimes, telling your conscious self that stomach sleep causes pain implants suggestions in your brain, and you’ll automatically shift sleeping positions. Enlist the aid of your spouse or sleeping partner to nudge you at night when they notice you’re sleeping face down. 

Otherwise, look to specialty pillows to help retrain yourself. Cervical and therapeutic pillows favor back and side sleep, keeping your head and neck straight through the spine. These pillows make it uncomfortable to sleep on your stomach. 

Body pillows, also called side sleep stabilizers, can interrupt the transition to your stomach while delivering the feeling of coziness that draws some sleepers to move to their stomachs. 

Other neck pain culprits

Back sleeping is the best position for maintaining a neutral spine position through the night, but it can be problematic for people with sleep apnea. If you are a back sleeper, a thin pillow that supports your neck may be all you need. Neck pain may result when you use a thicker pillow that pushes your chin toward your chest. 

You can keep your spine well aligned as a side sleeper, but your pillow needs are different. You want neck support that doesn’t make your head rise or fall toward a shoulder. 

Your mattress plays a role in comfortable, spine-supported sleep, too. If you’re dealing with a 10-year-old mattress, it’s time to invest in a new one. 

Call our office or book an appointment online to meet with our professionals at Herald Square Chiropractic and Sport. We’ll help you develop a sleep plan for your neck pain. Make an appointment today.