Waking up with neck pain every morning? If you’re sleeping on a bed full of pillows, the culprit may be the way you use them. A habit of stacking two or three pillows beneath your head may feel supportive in the moment, but can actually push your head out of alignment, turning a simple bedtime habit into the hidden cause of your morning aches.
Dr. Hossein Aziz, a board-certified spine surgeon at DISC, told Yahoo! Health that he gets asked about pillow stacking regularly: "Patients come in with neck pain or stiffness, and when I ask about sleep, they tell me they use two or three pillows because it feels comfortable at first. The problem is that stacking pillows under the head usually forces the neck into a flexed position for hours. That increases stress on the cervical discs, facet joints and surrounding muscles."
Over time, he shared, this can absolutely contribute to chronic neck pain. "…I have seen poor sleep posture contribute to worsening degenerative changes in the cervical spine. Chronically poor alignment can accelerate disc wear, contribute to muscle imbalance and aggravate conditions like cervical spondylosis or nerve compression. For patients who already have neck arthritis or have undergone spine surgery, poor alignment at night can slow recovery and prolong symptoms."
What can people do to break a pillow stacking habit?
"The goal is simple spinal alignment. I explain it to patients in my office by counseling them that their neck should look straight from the front and side when they are lying down," Dr. Aziz said. "If you're unsure, having a family member look at your alignment or even taking a quick photo can be surprisingly helpful."
For further recommendations, including pillow types, read the full Yahoo! Health article HERE.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Aziz HERE.
