What Should You Do When You Wake Up with a Stiff Neck in The Morning? From Hot Shower to Massage, Genius Ways to Manage the Pain
Did you just pull your muscle the other day, or is it your weird sleeping pattern? While there could be several causes, the need of the hour for you is to manage the pain. Here is what you should do if you wake up with pain in your neck in the morning.
Let us all admit that the shock of a loud alarm is nothing as compared to the pain of a stiff neck. But what makes you wake up with the stiff neck. Did you just pull your muscle the other day, or is it your weird sleeping pattern? While there could be several causes, the need of the hour for you is to manage the pain. Here is what you should do if you wake up with pain in your neck in the morning.
What Causes Stiff Neck in The Morning?
Waking up with a stiff neck is extremely common. While you go to bed all healthy, what makes you wake up sore in the morning? Sure, you do not go to a battlefield at night but your sleeping positions specifically belly sleeping, could be causing your painful, stiff neck. When you sleep on your belly, there is an extreme rotation of the neck, which can lead to pain and stiffness in the morning. Sometimes, sleeping on oversized pillows could also cause excessive neck flexion, resulting in discomfort. Smartphone Side Effects: How Texting Can Seriously Mess Up Your Neck and Spine.
How to Prevent Stiff Neck?
To prevent yourself from waking up in pain, try sleeping on your back or your side as much as possible. Invest in a good quality mattress and use a pillow that supports the curvature of your neck. Never place your pillow just under your head but also under your neck. You should also not use a pillow that is too flat, too firm, or too large. Cervical pillows are excellent to help keep alignment when you are sleeping on your pillow. You can also roll up a towel on your pillowcase to support the natural curve in your neck. Memory foam pillows can also be excellent to conform to your head and neck. Working From Home During COVID-19 Pandemic? Tips To Improve Posture And Prevent Back Pain.
What Should You Do to Ease the Pain?
A few gentle stretches can help soothe the pain in the morning. You can also apply heat or ice to the painful area to reduce inflammation. Massaging can also help loosen up the stiff muscles, while ice can help reduce inflammation. A hot shower can also be appropriate to ease the pain. Poor Posture When Using Computer Can Cause Neck Pain & Headaches, Explain Researchers.
Maintain proper posture and do not slouch as hunching over your laptop can worsen your pain. Also, squeeze in time for gentle stretches between your work hours.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 20, 2020 02:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).