Sleep is meant to be restful, restorative. If you’re waking up feeling sore, something’s gone wrong! Back pain and neck pain are both common problems, but you shouldn’t be waking up the worse for wear! Reduce neck and back pain by making sure you’re setting yourself up for a better tomorrow, and don’t wake-up sore.
The first question asked when someone says they wake-up sore is about what position they slept in. The worst one for neck pain? Sleeping on your stomach. Stomach sleeping twists and crains the neck and back worse than back or side-sleeping.
Another common cause of neck pain? The wrong pillow! Your pillow should be able to support your sleeping position without a bunch of fuss, like scrunching, flipping, and smushing. A pillow upgrade can be worth the back pain it saves you! And PSA: most pillows are meant to be laundered every few months. Many are even designed to dry in the dryer—check your tag for care instructions, and you might reduce a source of allergies, acne, and more.
Not everyone realizes it, but back and neck pain can be triggered by how well you sleep, not just the position you do it in. A good night’s sleep without tossing and turning, where you fully relax and restore your heart, mind, and body can impact many areas of health. Make enough time for sleep, and if you’re having insomnia, check out our sleep tips.
Don’t forget to start the night off right. If you are dehydrated, you’ll feel it in your muscles. If you’re stressed, you’ll be clenched. Relax, drink some water, and consider stretching, massaging, and other ways to give your muscles a little TLC before sleeping. For help getting muscles to relax, try Dakota Muscle Relief. With a pleasant smell and a hot/cold sensation, it can help ease tension, relieve back pain and neck pain, and even reduce headaches and migraines. Available as a spray, you can even get relief to places hard to reach on your own.
