Shoulder pain can make sleeping uncomfortable and restorative sleep impossible. Supportive pillow posture and types can help alleviate shoulder discomfort by accommodating for your neck’s and spine’s natural curves while you sleep.
People typically opt for too high pillows, encouraging an unhealthy forward head posture which may exacerbate or create shoulder pain.
Shoulders on your pillow
Shoulders resting on a pillow when sleeping can put your neck into an unnatural position and put stress on the muscles in both your neck and back, leading to painful shoulder movements which lead to discomfort and pain.
Proper pillow placement can help maintain a neutral position for both head and neck, with shoulders resting comfortably beneath. Selecting an appropriate pillow will help your neck remain in its natural alignment, helping avoid muscle strain in your neck, shoulders, or upper back.
An ideal pillow should cradle both your head and neck during sleep, while providing enough thickness to support the natural curve of your neck, which is critical for healthy posture.
An ergonomic pillow can make all the difference between restful sleep and neck and shoulder discomfort, and MedCline’s Shoulder Relief System is an ideal solution for those suffering from this affliction. With its symmetrical design ideal for left and right side sleeping positions, its unique ability to reduce tension while providing proper neck alignment makes this ideal solution.
Shoulders off your pillow
An excellent night of restorative rest is key for overall health and wellbeing, but if your neck and shoulders ache upon awakening it could be your pillow at fault.
Pillows are designed to bridge the gap between your head and body, but if your shoulders rest on them instead of resting against your head this could throw your spine out of alignment causing pain and discomfort as well as numbness and stiffness in both shoulder and back areas.
Shoulder pain can be traced to pressure on the rotator cuff, composed of three main muscles: clavicle, humerus and scapula. Together these muscle groups move our shoulders while we use our arms; should any one of them become injured it could cause back, shoulder and arm discomfort.
Sleeping with your shoulders on your pillow places undue strain on the rotator cuff, stretching and straining it more than it normally would be. Over time this can lead to numbness and pain in your neck, shoulders and down your arms.
So how can you prevent placing your shoulders on your pillow when sleeping? Aiming to keep your shoulders just below the pillow will ensure that your neck remains in its natural position and reduce spine tension. A great way to accomplish this goal is purchasing a pillow designed specifically to support neutral positioning of shoulders – such as Helix Adjustable Pillow which supports head and neck alignment while simultaneously keeping shoulders neutrally aligned.
Shoulders on your side
Be mindful of your shoulder position if you sleep on your side. Orthopedic doctors do not advise sleeping this way if you have an injury or condition that involves the shoulder, as doing so may put extra strain on it and increase pain levels; additionally it could aggravate inflammation within rotator cuff, bursae and tendonitis and reduce lifting capacity of your shoulder.
If your pillow is placed too high or your neck doesn’t align perfectly with your spine when sleeping on its side, this could cause your shoulders to move in towards your ears, creating misalignment and pressure on them. A too small pillow could push them further down into the mattress away from their spine causing extra strain on their shoulder joint.
A pillow that supports the natural curve of your neck is your ideal solution, keeping your head aligned with your shoulders. If you sleep on your side, try placing a body pillow or stack of pillows between you and the mattress to keep your shoulders from collapsing into bed and resting directly onto the shoulder that hurts.
If shoulder or hand pain prevents you from sleeping well at night, consulting a physical therapist who specializes in these conditions could be beneficial in terms of providing exercises and possible splints to relieve the discomfort.
Shoulders on your back
If you sleep on your back, the pillow under your head should be placed directly below the center of your shoulders to maintain a neutral position for your neck. Too high a pillow could pull it out of alignment with the spine and cause back and shoulder pain; too low will push forward your neck placing excessive strain on your shoulders.
Alternatively, if your shoulders are rounded, sleeping with a higher pillow could help avoid the slouching that causes them in the first place and allow your shoulder muscles to relax more completely.
Sleeping with their chin tucked is recommended for people who prefer stomach sleeping positions, to ensure a healthy and neutral position for their neck while relieving shoulder pressure from prolonged one-sided sleeping positions. Specialized pillows may help relieve shoulder pressure for stomach sleepers; however, to maximize comfort it’s essential that they change positions and pillows as often as possible.
An effective way to identify whether or not shoulder positioning is hindering function is to sit down, slouch and raise your arms above your head – you should notice differences in how far and smoothly your shoulders move.
