Could Your Night Time Routine Be Causing Your Neck Pain?

I often get patients asking me “why do I get neck pain?” and it can sometimes be a difficult question to answer.

Not because I don’t know how to ease neck pain, but I don’t know their personal circumstances.

However, what I can suggest is that it’s your night time routine that is causing your neck pain.

Why? Let me explain…

Many people don’t seem to know that the head is designed to be in a position where your ears are vertically in line with your shoulders.

By having your head in line with your shoulders, it gives stronger support to your head from your neck.

If your head is tilted slightly, then the support won’t be as great and it will cause your neck to feel the pressure.

Now this is something that many people do at night time and probably don’t really think of…

Sleeping with 2 pillows can cause havoc for your neck if they don’t support your head correctly. Having 2 pillows can sometimes prop your head upwards, which tilts your head forwards.

Having your head tilted forwards means it’s in an unusual position for roughly 8 hours. Your neck will also feel the pressure because your head isn’t supported correctly, meaning your neck takes the role of support while you sleep.

That means a lot of pressure on your neck for 8 hours!

As a general rule, I sleep with one pillow.

It can feel a little weird at first (by weird, I mean flat), but once you get used to it, it will make a great difference.

By only using one pillow, it will support your head, while allowing it to stay in line with the body, giving your neck a well-deserved rest!

Another thing that you’re probably doing that’s not helping your neck is…

Reading, checking emails, or playing on your phone before bed.

Whichever it is, the same action is applied to all of them, as you unwind in bed doing any of the above, your head is tilted.

With your head tilted, the support isn’t coming from your shoulders anymore, but from your neck. So, with this in mind, let me tell you what’s actually happening in your neck…

While your head is tilted and not being supported by your shoulders, your neck compensates for them.

To do this, your neck tenses its muscles to keep your head where it is, if you think about it…

If your neck DIDN’T tense those muscles, your head would just fall forward!

So, because your muscles are tensed, your body is in an unusual position. If you read, check emails or play on your phone for around 1 hour each night, then is it any wonder that your neck is hurting?

The Pain Doesn’t Stop There Though…

Imagine going to sleep on 2 pillows, as well as reading for about an hour or so.

By doing this, you can see that you may be causing your neck to already be in pain before your head hits the pillow!

To think, it’s been in an unusual position since reading, you’re then going to put it into another unusual position by going to sleep for 8 hours on 2 pillows?

When you look back and think about it, it makes you realize what damage you’re doing to your neck without realizing it.

So, there you have it!

Now you know how the head is designed, you can understand why neck pain occurs.

As a result of knowing how easily your neck muscles can be tensed, you should be able to adjust your lifestyle accordingly.

This might mean less reading time before bed and getting one supportive pillow for your head – but it will be making a difference and easing any neck pain that may be caused at night!

If you’d like more free tips on ways to naturally ease neck pain, then here’s a report for you to instantly download: www.bodyworksphysicaltherapy.com/neck-pain