Neck Pain from Sleeping Incorrectly
The Problem
There are two main causes of neck pain you experience upon waking:
- Incorrect sleeping position
- Improper support of the neck and head.
1. Incorrect Sleeping Position
With an incorrect sleeping position, the neck is not in a neutral alignment. This is clearly visible when sleeping on the stomach: the head is turned, often completely sideways on the mattress. When sleeping on the side, it is less obvious, but even then the neck often remains misaligned for a long time.
The most common sleeping position is the so-called ‘stable side position’. One lies on the side, and the upper arm rests on the mattress. The torso leans slightly forward, causing rotation in the neck. Often the neck is also tilted (head too high).
The combination of neck rotation and a sideways position is stressful: tension develops in the neck. This can lead to neck pain and headaches (tension headaches).
In the stable side position, the neck is often twisted and tilted
2. Improper Neck Support
If the neck and head are not properly supported, tension can also develop in the neck. A pillow that is too low or too high causes the neck to be tilted. When there is no good neck support, the head is supported but the neck is not.
If the shape of a pillow is not right or if it is too high or too low, neck pain and headaches can result.
The Solution
Neck pain can be prevented by improving both the sleeping position and the support. Always the combination! No matter how good a pillow is, if you don’t lie on it properly, it won’t work. This is what the best sleeping position for the neck looks like:
Why a Body Pillow?
By sleeping with a body pillow, the arm can rest on it relaxed. The body is less twisted than in the stable side position. The less the torso twists forward, the less rotation occurs in the neck. The main function of a body pillow is therefore to reduce rotation in the spine and neck. The Mikoala Body Pillow is excellent for this, as it is refillable and can be adjusted to exactly the right height.
Mikoala Hi4 Pillow
The Mikoala Hi4 pillow is an adjustable pillow with 8 height settings. This allows you to choose the height that suits you. The head then does not lie too high or too low, and the neck can rest in a neutral position. Furthermore, the Hi4 pillow provides good neck support. It supports the neck along its entire length, allowing the neck to truly relax and recover from the strain of the day.
The Course of Complaints with Neck Pain from Incorrect Sleeping
The course of neck pain complaints from an incorrect sleeping position shows many similarities with the course of headache complaints. There is a slow and an acute variant.
In the slow variant, repeated irritation occurs in the neck due to incorrect lying, gradually causing increasing complaints. It starts with some stiffness in the neck upon waking and can end with chronic neck complaints with significant movement restrictions and a lot of pain.
In the acute variant, sudden damage occurs. For example, due to an accident, a muscle strain, or a ‘twisted neck’. There is immediately a lot of pain, the neck is stiff, and muscle tension is increased.
A characteristic of a stressful sleeping position is that there are more complaints upon waking than when going to bed. Normally, the body should relax through sleep and the complaints should decrease. With an incorrect sleeping position, the opposite is usually the case.
Research shows that neck complaints significantly decrease when sleeping position and neck support improve (gezondNU research). A nice report supporting this was written by the chairman of the patient association 'The Spine'.