A good night’s sleep can leave you feeling rejuvenated and prepared for the day ahead. Unfortunately, many of us don’t get nearly enough sleep. For many people, stress built up over time can lead to interrupted sleep and a buildup of tension. This tension can often cause pain, especially in the back or neck.
Stress-related tension can keep you from falling asleep, force you to toss and turn to get more comfortable, and can wake you up in the middle of the night. Here are a few steps you can take to help relieve stress and manage your sleep.
If you’re happy with your nighttime routine, but back and neck pain keeps waking you up at night, below are a few stretches you can try to help alleviate tension and encourage more restful sleep.
Stretches to Release Neck and Back Tension
Scalene (Neck) Stretch
- Sit and place your hands right under your collarbone on the affected side.
- Pull down towards floor gently with hands to lower the top ribs.
- With your chin tucked-in, slightly lean your head sideways away from your hands until a stretch is felt along the side of the neck.
- Hold the stretch for 10 – 15 seconds.
- Complete 3 sets of 10-15 second holds, twice a day.
Cat/Camel Stretch
- Start on all fours with your back straight, hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips.
- To do the dog stretch, slowly inhale and let the belly fall toward the floor to arch the back and extend the head at the same time.
- To do the cat stretch, slowly exhale, round the back and tuck the chin to the chest.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Alternate between these two positions slowly.
Lumbar Flexion Stretch
- Lie on your back with your knees bent.
- Lift one knee towards your chest and pull it as far as you can with your hands.
- Lower your leg and repeat with the other leg.
- Lift both legs (one at a time) and pull them both toward your chest as far as you can to flatten your lower back.
- Hold each position for 30 seconds.
Trapezius Stretch
- Stand and put your arms behind your back.
- Grasp the arm of the affected side using the opposite hand to lower the shoulder.
- Bend your neck to the opposite side until you feel a stretch on top of the shoulder.
- Maintain the stretch and relax.
*Disclaimer: Always consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program. If you experience any numbness, tingling or reproduction of your symptoms, please contact your doctor. ⠀
Dreaming of Pain-Free, Restful Sleep?
At Airrosti, we help our patients get restful sleep by finding and treating pain at the source.
During each treatment session, the Airrosti provider conducts a thorough evaluation of the patient’s injury and designs a custom treatment plan to help correct the underlying cause of pain. They will also provide recovery tools and at-home active rehab exercises to help boost your recovery.
If an injury or pain is keeping you up at night, request an appointment with a provider near you. In addition to in-office visits, we also offer convenient virtual appointments via Airrosti Remote Recovery.
View our Medical Disclaimer here.
