Shoulder pain from Sleeping Positions? You’re not alone.
I often hear this question from clients: “The way that I’m sleeping seems to be hurting my shoulder. I often wake up in pain. What can I do to feel better?”
Let’s take a closer look at how sleep position, body mechanics, and gentle yoga therapy can help relieve your shoulder pain from sleeping positions.
Why You Might Have Shoulder Pain from Sleeping
I usually ask my clients with chronic pain about their sleep position and other related factors (such as pets or children in your bed). Most of us spend 7–9 hours in bed each night—so if your sleep position is contributing to your symptoms, that’s a lot of time in a less-than-ideal posture. that position.
Understanding your sleep situation is an important part of identifying the patterns related to your shoulder pain symptoms.
Do You Need to Change Your Sleep Position? Maybe Not.
This surprises many people: I usually treat changing sleep position as a last resort.
Why? Because it’s hard. Most people don’t enjoy trying to change the way they sleep. It can interfere with your ability to fall asleep, or worsen your sleep quality.
Instead, I often help clients reduce shoulder pain from sleeping without changing their position at all. We work with the body to improve how it responds to stress and tension using yoga-based tools like movement, breath, and awareness. When your system is more adaptable, you may be able to spend time in “non-ideal” positions without pain.
What If You Do Want to Change Your Sleep Position?
Choosing a sleep position requires us to consider many criteria, some of which are outside of my scope as a yoga therapist (such as your airway and your ability to breathe well during sleep), and some of which are none of my business (such as the other living creatures you share sleep with). I do have lots of tips based on what’s going on in different bodies, and I’m happy to talk you through these considerations so that you can start to decode what your body needs during sleep. However, making your sleep situation our primary focus is generally something I like to do only if other approaches fail to give you the results you want.
What Else Can I do to Feel Better? Gentle Yoga for Shoulder Pain Relief
I often have clients ask about movements and stretches they can do when they wake up in pain. This varies, of course, based on where the pain is located and the needs of your unique body. (Don’t forget there are lots of free resources on my blog, Instagram account and YouTube channel.)
I’ve created a short yoga practice that can help get your shoulders moving and help relieve your shoulder pain from sleeping. As you’re doing this, pay attention to how you feel and move slowly, in a range that doesn’t increase your pain. Not all movements might be appropriate for your situation.
This is not medical advice. The practice provided is intended as an exploration only, and may not be suitable for everyone. Always check with your medical provider about the suitability of new activities. If you need more support, get a professional assessment. Need an alternative, have a question, or want some more detailed instructions? Reply to this email and I’d be happy to help.
