We all know how important sleep is to our overall health and wellbeing. We spend around a third of our lives sleeping, and it’s vital for restoring us physically, mentally & emotionally. It’s also very important in coping with and reducing pain. Yet for many people, poor quality or quantity of sleep is the norm. Sleep is a very complex facet of our lives and there can be many reasons for poor sleep or for waking up (or staying awake) with musculoskeletal aches and pains, but sleeping position may be one of those factors.
Many people come into our physiotherapy clinic reporting waking up with neck pain, ranging from mildly annoying to extremely debilitating, and not being able to move their neck at all. One of the factors that we always look at is their sleeping position. While more research needs to be undertaken into the connection between waking neck pain and sleeping positions but so far there does seem to be some indication that some positions are better than others.
Side-sleeping, sleeping on your back and a combination of the 2 appears to potentially be the best positions for your neck while you’re sleeping and will minimise the chances of waking up with a stiff, sore neck. The main reason for this seems to be that these sleeping positions keep your neck in a more neutral, supported position, as opposed to sleeping on your stomach, which requires your neck to be rotated for long periods in order to be able to breathe.
With this in mind, here are a few factors to consider:
- The best sleeping position for may be related to the type of mattress you have eg. softer mattresses may be more suited to sidesleepers as they don’t tend to compress the shoulder / neck as much as firmer mattresses.
- The best sleeping position may also be related to the type of pillow you have eg. a thicker pillow may be more suited to sidesleeping as it will allow the gap between your shoulder and head / ear to be more supported during the night.
- Sleeping position is just one factor to consider when it comes to neck pain – many other factors can also contribute to your neck eg. prolonged awkward positions, trauma to the neck eg. car accident, acute overuse of the upper body eg. renovating a house, stress and other lifestyle factors.
- Firmer pillows have the potential to offer your neck more support, and having a contour that fits into the natural curvature of your neck is also often helpful. You can try this at home by rolling up a small towel and putting it inside your pillowcase to create a temporary “contour” to try.
- Remember, the best sleeping position will depend on your particular body type, injury history, and often issues such as your airways/sinuses which may determine how you sleep.
- Ultimately, there are no absolutes when it comes to sleeping positions – what is comfortable for one person may not be comfortable for the next person. But if you do have any concerns regarding your neck or sleeping positions, book in for an appointment and we would love to help you out in a way that is specific for you.
And here’s some hints about WHAT NOT to do:
- DO: Make sure your whole head is on the pillow. A lot of people, especially side-sleepers, can end up with half their head/face/jaw off the edge of the pillow, but it is best to have the whole weight of your head supported on the pillow.
- DON’T put your hands under your head – let your head rest on the pillow.
- DON’T think “more is better” when it comes to pillows. Only larger people with broad shoulders may need more than one pillow, but for most of us one pillow is enough.
If you’re still not sure what position is best for you, ask your physiotherapist who can factor in your body type, injury history and any other issues that may impact on your comfort levels.