Have you ever woken up after a restless night with stiff shoulders, a stiff feeling in your chest, or a sore neck? The discomfort around your shoulders may be caused by the way you sleep at night. If so, it may be due to your sleeping position. Sleeping on your side can cause strain on your shoulders and neck, leading to stiffness and discomfort. In this blog, we’ll explore the connection between side sleeping and rounded shoulders and provide simple stretches to help alleviate the issue.
Do Hot Nights Cause Rounded Shoulders?
On hot nights, do you find yourself tossing and turning in your sleep and sleeping on your side? There must be many people who wake up in the morning with numb arms or stiff shoulders because they slept on their side.
During hot and humid nights, heat tends to build up in your back. So even people who usually sleep on their back may find themselves sleeping on their side without realizing it. When you sleep on your side, if the pillow is not the right height or you end up sleeping with your back and shoulders rounded, you can develop poor posture even while you’re sleeping.
Reset Your Nighttime Body Habits in The Morning!
It is very difficult to correct or be careful about sleeping on your side or in a bad posture while you are sleeping. In that case, you should correct the bad habits that you developed while sleeping at night in the morning. If you spend the day without resetting the habits of slouching or rounded shoulders that you developed while sleeping, you will spend the whole day in a bad posture.
Which Muscles Become Stiff When You Sleep on Your Side?
When you sleep on your side, the muscles in the front of your chest contract. Specifically, the chest muscles are called the pectoralis major and minor. Muscles tend to become stiff when they are in the same position for a long time. Therefore, even if you think you are sleeping relaxed, if you continue to sleep on your side for a long time, your chest muscles may become stiff.
Morning Stretches to Loosen Your Chest
If you sleep on your side and feel like your shoulders and chest have become stiff in the morning. We’ll show you an exercise that will help you correct your shoulder position by doing just 10 repetitions.
1) Sit on the floor and get into a comfortable position with your knees slightly bent.
2) Place both palms behind your body with your palms facing out to the sides.
3) While rotating your left shoulder back, bend your elbow and lower your left shoulder diagonally backward.
When bending your elbows, keep your armpits tight and imagine that you are tucking your elbows behind your back. After doing this about 10 times on one shoulder, do it on the other side.
Tips for Side Sleepers
- Use a Supportive Pillow: Use a pillow that supports the natural curve of your neck and shoulders.
- Sleep on a Softer Mattress: A softer mattress can help reduce pressure on your shoulders and neck.
- Try a Shoulder Support: Consider using a shoulder support or pillow to keep your shoulders aligned while sleeping.
A tight neck and shoulders upon waking up can be rather uncomfortable. by making these easy stretches a part of your regular regimen. You can lessen the stiffness and round shoulders that result from sleeping on your side. Always pay attention to how you sleep and take precautions to support your neck and shoulders. Bid farewell to rigidity and welcome to a more self-assured, cozy version of yourself!
Also read: https://techdigitaltrend.com/ip-addresses-what-are-they-and-why-do-we-care/
