How to Get a Goodnight's Sleep With Whiplash

Whiplash can affect your sleep and hence, your day-to-day activities. It makes certain sleeping positions uncomfortable, keeping you up the whole night. A good night of sleep is crucial to your healing process. 

However, the same injury that needs healing may be the same one keeping you awake all night. How do you deal with it? Is there a solution to help you sleep when you have whiplash?

How to Sleep Painlessly

Proper stretching of your neck and shoulders is essential while you rest. It speeds up the rate of healing. However, how fast you heal will also depend on the damage to your nerves and tissues. Do not worsen these injuries by sleeping in the same position as before your accident. Here are a few tips to help you get comfortable and promote your healing.

Using Hot or Cold Compresses

Apply a hot or cold compress to your neck and shoulders before you sleep. It is a great way to alleviate pain, and it helps you relax as you get ready for bed. Put the compress on the area for no more than 20 minutes. 

Cold compresses soothe aches and pains by providing a numbing effect and reducing inflammation. Hot compresses help the muscles relax, so you can find a suitable position to sleep. You can use both to soothe pain and relax your muscles before sleep.

Using Foam Rollers

Stretching your neck, shoulders, and upper back is essential before you sleep. It will prevent stiffness as you try to sleep through the night. Much of the pain you feel as you sleep is from stiff or sore muscles. Foam rollers provide therapeutic stretches that prepare you for a good night of sleep. They ease the stiffness and tension in your muscles, relieving soreness.

Using Neck Pillows

There are specific neck pillows for supporting your neck as you sleep. They can keep your neck stable and prevent pain and misalignment as you turn during the night. Alignment of the neck is crucial as it relieves the pain of whiplash. Hence, make sure that your neck aligns with your spine as you sleep.

Neck pillows are concave, helping keep your neck stable as you sleep on your side or back. Combining this with chiropractic adjustments will ensure that you get the sleep you need to heal.

Change Your Sleeping Positions

Certain sleeping positions will make your whiplash worse. You may need to try others to see whether it will help you get a good night of sleep. Your doctor will probably recommend that you sleep on your back using a neck pillow. The reason is that this sleeping position is neutral and helps your spine stay in natural alignment.

You can also sleep on your side, but you may need a few additions to help you keep your spine in a neutral position. Put a pillow between your neck and knees in addition to your neck pillow. It will help keep your hips and lower back in alignment as well.

For more information on whiplash, visit The Spine Clinic at our office in Salem, Oregon. You can call (503) 362-5555 today to schedule an appointment.