If you wake up with neck pain from sleeping, it can put a damper on your mood for the rest of the morning. If you notice that you’re suffering from chronic neck pain and waking up with the same aches every morning, then it’s time to make some changes.
Are you tired of waking up with neck pain from sleeping? If so, physical therapy can be a safe and effective way to manage your neck pain. Here are six tips physical therapists often give patients who suffer from neck pain after waking up.
Six tips for neck pain from sleeping
The first thing to note is that there can be many different causes of neck pain from sleeping. A physical therapist will be able to perform a physical examination to try to pinpoint the cause of your neck problems. In the meantime, here are six tips that may help you reduce your neck pain from sleeping:
- Fix your posture — Poor posture during the day can lead to chronic neck stiffness over time, which you might experience when you wake up in the morning.
- Pay attention to your neck while viewing screens — If you spend several hours each day staring at your phone, computer screen, or TV, you can develop “text neck.” It’s important to be mindful of your neck posture while screen viewing.
- Stretch — Stretching throughout the day and before bed can reduce neck stress and stiffness that’s causing you pain in the morning.
- Exercise — Strengthening your neck muscles can help reduce your pain by stimulating blood flow to the soft tissue in the neck.
- Get a new pillow — Using a pillow that is too stiff or large can cause your neck muscles to flex during the night. Try using a pillow that supports your neck and leaves your spine in a neutral position.
- Try temperature therapy — Using heating packs or ice packs before bed or in the morning can help soothe the neck muscles and reduce inflammation.
Panther Physical Therapy is ready to help treat your neck pain today
Neck discomfort can ruin your mornings. Rather than starting the day well rested and ready to go, you might be in a bad mood. That’s understandable, and that’s why Panther Physical Therapy is prepared to help you today. Our physical therapists are experts in treating neck pain. We’re prepared to build you a personalized treatment plan to address your neck pain from sleeping.
Contact our team today for more information about physical therapy for neck pain or to schedule an initial appointment.