How To Sleep With Neck Pain: Stiff Neck Remedies To Try

Key Takeaways

• Sleeping on your back or side is the best position for neck pain.
• A pillow that supports your neck’s natural curves is best. Some people may need extra support, like from a cervical pillow.
• Stretching your neck before and after bed can improve flexibility and reduce pain.

If you wake up with neck pain from sleeping, you’re probably not getting the quality rest you need. In some cases, severe neck pain can even disrupt your sleep. Figuring out how to sleep with neck pain is a must for getting a full night’s rest and not feeling stiff and sore during the day.

The good news is that there are plenty of easy tricks that can help you make neck pain a thing of the past. From picking the right pillow to knowing which stretches loosen your muscles, a few simple changes can go a long way.

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Read along to learn how to relieve neck pain from sleeping so you can wake up feeling refreshed and free of aches and soreness.

1. Adjust Your Sleep Position

Your sleep position plays a major role in preventing and relieving neck pain. Sleeping on your back is generally considered the best sleeping position for neck pain, but you can make yourself more comfortable no matter how you sleep. 

• Sleeping on your back helps you maintain the natural curvature of your spine, which keeps your neck in alignment and prevents stiffness.
• Sleeping on your side can work well for neck pain when you use a pillow that keeps your neck straight. Some people need extra support in this position.
• Sleeping on your stomach is considered the worst position for neck pain because it can twist your neck and misalign your spine.

2. Choose a Suitable Pillow

Aside from your sleep position, finding the right pillow position for neck pain has the biggest impact on how your neck feels in the morning. Your pillow’s loft (height) and firmness affect whether your neck is kept in alignment and if you get the right level of support and pressure relief.

Choosing the ideal pillow height isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. The best pillow height mainly depends on your sleep position and body type. 

Dr. Austin Anadu of AlynMD recommends a contoured pillow or a soft, foldable pillow.¹ Adjustable options like the Purple Freeform™ Pillow satisfy this recommendation, as you can alter the fill and firmness to suit your comfort and provide dedicated neck support.

Generally speaking, side sleepers do best with a medium or high loft pillow, while back sleepers tend to prefer a medium loft pillow. Stomach sleepers do best with a low loft pillow or no pillow at all. Choose a medium-firm pillow so your head doesn’t sink out of alignment with your spine.

“The goal is simple: Keep your head and neck in alignment with your spine. Go for a medium-firm mattress[,] which is supportive but not too stiff. As for pillows[,] use memory foam or one which is contoured to the neck[,] especially if you are a side or back sleeper.” — Dr. Gregory Gasic, VMeDx²

The right pillow loft keeps your neck aligned with your spine. Your neck should never feel overextended. Don’t be afraid to try different Purple pillows to find the most comfortable fit.

3. Try Additional Neck Support

If your neck hurts after sleeping, even when you’re using a quality pillow, you might need additional neck support. For example, side sleepers who don't get the right level of arch support during the night might want to place rolled towels under the edge of their pillow.

Some people do best with therapeutic cervical pillows, which are designed to conform to the neck and spine in a way that keeps them properly supported and aligned throughout the night.

4. Invest in a Quality Mattress

Your pillow isn’t the only thing that promotes proper spinal alignment and pressure relief at night. Sometimes, even a new mattress can cause back pain. A pressure relief mattress contours to and cushions your body’s pressure points, while also offering the right level of support to keep your neck and spine aligned during the night.

The GelFlex Grid®, also known as a Gel Matrix™, found in Purple mattresses uses strong, flexible columns to provide individualized support to your body’s primary pressure points.

Just like with pillows, your sleep position and body type influences which type of mattress is best for you. Back sleepers typically do best with a medium-firm mattress, while side sleepers usually prefer soft to medium-firm mattresses. Stomach sleepers need a firmer mattress.

5. Manage Neck Pain

Waking up with a stiff neck doesn’t mean you’re doomed to deal with neck pain for the rest of the day. There are several options for how to relieve neck pain from sleeping wrong so you can reduce pain and stiffness.

Gentle stretching is the best way to start. A good round of stretches for neck pain includes rolling your shoulders back and down, squeezing your shoulder blades together, and touching your ear to your shoulder on each side. Do these stretches 10 times for three rounds.

Disclaimer: This is not a substitute for medical advice and is intended for informational purposes only.

You can also use temperature to manage neck pain. Ice treatments (like an ice pack covered with a cloth) can manage swelling and short-term pain from strains or exercise.³ A hot compress or warm shower promotes blood flow to your neck and loosen your muscles.⁴

6. Adopt Healthy Habits 

Prevention is the best cure for how to sleep with neck and shoulder pain, and for most people, that means adopting healthy habits during the day. Maintaining good posture during the day (like when you’re working at your computer or reading a book while lying in bed as part of your bedtime routine) can keep your neck muscles from getting inflamed. 

You can also prevent neck tension by staying hydrated, which flushes out muscle toxins that contribute to stiffness and pain.⁵ Managing emotional stress is also important, as too much stress can cause you to unconsciously build up tension in your neck and shoulders.⁶

7. Consult a Professional

If you’ve tried the above tips and are still experiencing persistent neck pain, especially neck pain at the base of the skull after sleeping, you may want to talk to your doctor. You should also contact your doctor if you’re experiencing numbness or shooting pain in your chest or shoulders alongside your neck pain.

“If your neck pain has been present for over a week, is getting worse, or is accompanied by tingling, numbness[,] or weakness[,] don't ignore it. See a physical therapist, chiropractor, or orthopedic specialist. They will determine the cause of your pain and help you.” — Dr. Gregory Gasic, VMeDx²

A medical professional can help you determine the underlying issues contributing to your ongoing neck pain and suggest professional treatments that could help. Massage therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic care are all worthwhile options for relieving muscle tension in your neck to reduce pain and stiffness.

Why Does My Neck Hurt When I Wake Up? 

There are several possible reasons why your neck hurts when you wake up in the morning, but the most likely culprits are generally poor sleep position or alignment or poor posture during daytime activities.

Here are the most common reasons why your neck may hurt when you wake up in the morning:

• Stomach sleeping
• Using a pillow that is too high or too low
• Using a pillow that is too soft and doesn’t provide enough support
• Built-up tension from stress
• Muscle stiffness from exercise
• Straining or injury from daytime activities
• Jerky movements during sleep can strain neck muscles
• A symptom of disc issues or osteoarthritis

In many cases, neck pain is a minor, temporary issue, but it’s important to seek medical care for long-lasting or severe pain.

“Neck pain can be a result of something very minor, like post-sleep posture or muscle strains, to very serious conditions like disc herniation or cervical spondylosis. You should seek professional help if the pain lasts more than two weeks or is severely limiting daily activities.” — Dr. Austin Anadu, AlynMD¹

Support Your Neck With Purple

Even better than wondering how to sleep with neck pain is learning how to sleep to avoid neck pain altogether. By taking steps to keep your neck properly aligned and supported during sleep, as well as practicing healthy daytime habits to reduce tension, you can experience better, pain-free sleep.

Purple mattresses provide ample support and pressure relief for your neck and back thanks to the innovative GelFlex Grid®. With the right mattress and pillow combination for your sleep position and body type, you can get the support you need to prevent and relieve nighttime neck pain.

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The GelFlex® Grid responds to your movement, cradling pressure points and supporting your back for maximum comfort.

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