Three issues that can lead to shoulder pain from sleeping

Shoulder Pain From Sleeping | Causes | SSOR

Most people think of sleep as a time for the body to rest and regenerate. This is normally true, but in certain circumstances, your sleep time can also be the source of daily shoulder pain. You might not know why you’re waking up with shoulder pain from sleeping, but here are three issues that can commonly lead to this type of pain: 

  1. Poor sleeping position

The position your body is in while you sleep could be a huge factor if you’re waking up with shoulder pain after sleeping. Stomach sleepers in particular tend to deal with this issue. This is because sleeping on your stomach causes you to twist your neck, and the all-night neck twist puts extra strain on the neck and shoulder muscles. This strain is often enough to cause you to wake up with shoulder pain. 

People who prefer to sleep on their side can also wake up with shoulder pain. This is especially true if you sleep with an arm under your pillow. Sleeping in this position can pinch or irritate tendons or muscles in the shoulder, and this irritation can be the source of morning shoulder pain. Keeping your elbow raised above your head while sleeping can also lead to the same issues. 

  1. Pillow problems

Pillows are intended to help keep your head and neck in the best position while you sleep. But they could be the reason that you have shoulder pain from sleeping. It’s important to think about how many and what types of pillows are best for your needs. Pillows range from hard to soft, and one that’s too soft can allow your head and neck to slump down as you sleep. This can overstretch or irritate muscles, ligaments and tendons in the neck and shoulder. A pillow that’s too hard can also lead to these issues. Even if a pillow is perfect for you when it’s new doesn’t mean it will stay that way. After all, pillows wear out, causing them to become less supportive. 

  1. Unsupportive mattress

Like pillows, the mattress you’re sleeping on could also be the cause of your shoulder pain from sleeping. One that’s too soft won’t provide your back and shoulders with the proper support. The lack of support can easily lead to overly stressed shoulder muscles. However, a mattress that’s too hard can be just as much of a problem. Overly hard mattresses don’t conform to the body, and this means your muscles must support your spine in a neutral position all night. Now imagine trying to keep your shoulder muscles tense for seven or eight hours. When you look at things that way, it’s little wonder that these muscles feel tired and painful after you wake up. 

SSOR can help you find ways to treat shoulder pain from sleeping

If you’re dealing with shoulder pain from sleeping, our specialists at SSOR can help. Our physical therapy clinics outside the Kansas City, Kansas, area offer complimentary screenings, and this service can help you learn the root cause of your pain. We provide every patient with an individualized therapy plan built using multiple therapy techniques, and some of the techniques we might include in your plan are: 

Take the next step to get our help with your shoulder pain. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.