Sleep Injury: The Hidden Cause of Pain No One Talks About

Have you ever experienced waking up with a painful neck, back, or shoulder that wasn't there the night before? The only explanation is that you must have slept in a bad position. Maybe your pillow was too low or too high. Or you slept on your back, which you don't usually do. Worse still, you can/t pinpoint what went wrong. You went to sleep feeling well, and now you are in pain. How could this happen? Sleep injury is a common reason people experience pain. Just last week, one of my lovely clients of many years had shoulder pain after waking up with it 3 days earlier. She felt much better after her virtual session with me, as we focused on supporting her shoulder. She suspects she needs a new pillow.  Let's examine the types of sleep injuries that can occur and how you can ensure a pain-free morning each day.

Stomach Sleeping While Lying on Your Arms

A client who I'll call Stephanie was experiencing strong nerve pain going down each arm from her shoulder to her wrist. As a primary school teacher, she was terrified. The pain was making her daily work life unbearable, and it seemed to be getting worse. She consulted several doctors, including a neurologist. She underwent multiple tests and even tried acupuncture, which gave her temporary relief, and then the nerve pain returned a day later.  As you can imagine, with no one able to help her, Stephanie was becoming distressed.  We looked at everything she was doing in her life that could be causing this level of pain until one day, after all her tests were negative, I asked about her sleeping position.  She told me she slept on her stomach, lying on both arms. It was a comfortable position she had slept in all her life. Could this be causing her pain? I asked Stephanie to try sleeping on her side without any weight on her arms. In desperation, she tried it. At her next session a week later, she was all smiles. The nerve pain was gone!  While she was getting away with this sleeping position for years, as she became older, her body was protesting. Stomach sleeping puts pressure on your neck and spine and can compress nerves and blood vessels. Fortunately for Stephanie, she didn't have permanent nerve damage.  Sleeping, lying on your arms, or tucking your arm under the pillow are problematic in the long term and should be avoided.

Falling Asleep In a Seated Position

Many people enjoy falling asleep on the couch while watching TV. One of my clients used to enjoy doing this on weekends, but usually woke up after a short period and went to bed. One night when she was particularly tired, she didn't wake up until morning.  She was half sitting, half lying down with neck and back stiffness and pain. She could barely stand up. It took about 3 weeks of intensive Pilates to overcome the pain. Couches provide minimal support for sleeping, especially if you are in a bad position to begin with. Take care in planes, trains, and cars, as similar injuries can occur. If you are immobile for long periods, you are at risk of nerve compression, deep vein thrombosis, dehydration, wry neck and back strain. If you are travelling long distances, try to break up sleep with moving around to minimise these risks.

What is Wry Neck?

Wry neck, also known as torticollis, occurs when the neck muscles contract involuntarily, causing the head to tilt to one side. It can come on suddenly and is quite painful, especially when trying to turn your head. Sleeping in an awkward position is one of the major causes of this, and can be further exacerbated by exposure to cold. I experienced this myself, years ago, while staying at a resort in the Blue Mountains during winter. The temperature in the room was too cold, so I rang reception, who assured me they would increase it from their end. When I woke up in the morning, the room was even colder, and I couldn't turn my head without excruciating neck pain radiating down to my shoulder. Fortunately, I knew what exercises to do to support it, but it took about 2 weeks to resolve the issue, which is common with wry neck. I've also had several clients who have had wry neck in summer after sleeping in air-conditioning or with a fan on their head. Make sure your pillow is the correct height and keep yourself at an even temperature when you are asleep to help avoid this painful condition.

Optimizing Your Sleep Position to Prevent Injury

When you're seated and asleep for long periods, aim to support the natural curves of your spine by using a neck pillow to keep your head aligned and a small cushion or rolled-up garment behind your lower back for lumbar support. Keep your feet flat on the floor or slightly elevated to promote circulation and avoid crossing your legs, which can compress nerves and restrict blood flow.
The best sleeping position in bed for most people is on their side with a slight bend in the knees, as pictured above. This posture helps keep the spine in a neutral alignment, reduces pressure on the lower back, and improves circulation. Placing a pillow between your knees can further support the hips and prevent twisting of the spine. While some people find comfort sleeping on their back, it’s important to use a supportive pillow to keep the neck aligned and possibly place a pillow under the knees to ease lower back strain.  Try to avoid sleeping on your stomach. If possible, change sides during the night. As humans, we are meant to move, and that includes while we are asleep!

If you want to overcome chronic pain and age well, email me at [email protected] .  Alternatively, you can book your in-depth Initial Assessment with me virtually. or work independently at your own pace through my library of on-demand videos.  Take the free 10 day trial and start now.  It would be my pleasure to assist you in staying strong and pain-free as you age!