For all sleeping positions with neck pain, you should use a pillow under the neck that provides support, such as a rolled towel or cervical pillow. There is also neck pain from poor sleep. Sometimes you wake up with neck pain. Despite this potential benefit, research is lacking.
Most studies on pillows and neck pain focus on the best type of pillow for pain. If your neck hurts after sleep, talk to a doctor before you run out of pillow. Using a neck pillow or memory foam pillow can help support your head or neck. If you snore or have sleep apnea regularly, you may want to try sleeping on your side rather than on your back.
The right pillow is essential to keep your neck in a supportive position with neutral alignment during sleep. Without proper pillow support, the intricate neck structures will become stressed, worsening any existing neck condition and causing neck pain or stiffness during the day. Using pillows to support your arms while sleeping on your side or back can also help reduce tension and pain in your neck. A person may also try placing a pillow between the knees if he sleeps on his side, or under them if he sleeps on his back, to reduce tension or pressure on the spine.
Not much research urges an automatic recommendation for pillows with mixed fillings such as memory foam or latex with crushed foam and a gel insert. The filling consists of shredded memory foam, polyethylene foam and alternative clusters of down that can be added or removed from the pillow at any time, creating the profile needed for your sleep needs. This can be achieved by placing a small neck roll on the pillowcase of a flatter and softer pillow, or by using a special pillow that has a built-in neck support with a slit for the head to rest. As a bonus for owners, both the cover and the microdenier pillow can be washed at home, allowing you to avoid uncomfortable handwashing or dry cleaning bills.
The general rule for a proper pillow is that you should keep your neck parallel to the mattress, rather than bending down or up. The key is to find a pillow that is the right height and firmness for the person’s size, sleeping position and personal preferences. It may be the case that choosing another style of pillow is a better solution for you than going without a pillow. The World Health Organization lists back and neck pain as one of the most common disabling muscle or bone injuries, along with arthritis and bone fractures.
A person should seek guidance from a doctor whenever neck pain becomes chronic or severe or interferes with sleep or daily activities. For anyone who is more comfortable sleeping leaning on an adjustable bed or leaning on pillows, it is worth considering this type of pillow to support the head and neck. The Eli %26 Elm Organic Cotton Side Sleeper Pillow is offered in one size, suitable for a queen or king mattress. We have tested over 300 pillows to determine which ones are best suited to sleepers with different needs.
Read on for the best positions to sleep with neck discomfort or pain, and other ways to seek relief. A person should talk to a doctor about neck pain if it is severe or unexplained, interferes with daily life or sleep, does not respond to basic treatment, lasts more than 1 week, or has other worrying symptoms.