
If you suspect cold air blowing directly on your neck might cause a stiff neck from muscle cramps, make adjustments to prevent that from happening.

Side sleepers may benefit from placing a pillow between the knees to keep the spine more aligned. If you sleep on your back, consider placing a rolled towel or special ‘cervical’ pillow beneath the neck for more support. Similar to the sleep position, no one pillow type is the best for everyone.

Other options include sleeping on adjustable beds or recliners. Stomach sleepers put much more stress on the cervical spine, since the head is twisted to the side. If you normally sleep on your stomach, consider switching to your back or side. Here are some tips to avoid a stiff neck while sleeping: Switch your sleeping position When a stiff neck develops during sleep, it’s commonly caused by the head resting at an awkward angle, but other causes are possible, such as cold air blowing on your neck.
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How to Prevent a Stiff Neck While Sleeping A stiff neck typically resolves within a week’s time. Sometimes a stiff neck might start to improve shortly after applying treatments, but other times it might take a day or two before noticeable pain relief is achieved. Watch: 3 Evening Tips for Sleeping with Neck Pain Video
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Walking and moving around are still encouraged, because full bed rest may cause the stiff neck and pain to last longer. If neck stiffness still prevents significant amounts of movement in one or more directions, or is still exhibiting sharp or burning pain, it is advised to avoid any strenuous activities for the day and limit movements that increase pain. See 4 Easy Stretches for a Stiff Neck Pain assessment and activity modificationĪfter being awake for a while and applying these stiff neck remedies, an assessment can be made as to whether the pain and stiffness are improving. Similarly, the hand and fingers can be used to massage the neck’s sore area so long as it does not increase pain.

The goal is to gradually increase the flexibility without causing more pain. Some stretches cannot fully be completed due to the neck’s pain and stiffness, which is OK. After finding some initial pain relief, further loosening of the muscles and ligaments may be achieved with some stretching and/or massage.
