We all want to feel relaxed when we lay down at night and rested when we wake up in the morning, but these feats aren’t always achievable for those with lingering shoulder discomfort. If it’s uncomfortable or downright painful to lay on one or both of your shoulders, you may find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. This is a concern we hear from many patients, and we’re always willing to share some advice on managing this nighttime discomfort. In today’s blog, we explain why it may hurt to sleep on your shoulder and how to overcome this discomfort.
Why Does It Hurt To Sleep On My Shoulder?
There are a number of structures that reside in close proximity to your shoulder joint, so it’s possible that a few different issues are causing your shoulder discomfort when lying in bed. However, some of the more common culprits that your shoulder specialist may look to confirm or rule out include:
- Shoulder tendonitis
- Bursitis
- Capsulitis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Arthritis
- Impingement
- Frozen shoulder
Treating Shoulder Pain When Laying Down
If shoulder pain is isolated to one shoulder, the easiest remedy is to work to get comfortable sleeping on your back or your other side, but we want to provide more advice than simply telling you to sleep differently. For best results, we recommend consulting with a shoulder specialist who can figure out exactly what’s causing your shoulder discomfort and set you up with an individualized care plan. With that said, oftentimes you can reduce or eliminate nighttime shoulder pain by following a few helpful protocols throughout your day. We typically recommend:
- Stretching – Oftentimes shoulder discomfort when laying down is tied to limited flexibility and range of motion in the shoulder joint. Structures can be more easily compressed when you’re laying on your side, so working to improve range of motion and control inflammation while you’re awake through some gentle stretching exercises can be very helpful. Stiff shoulders are often uncomfortable shoulders, especially when laying down or forced to be in the same position for hours on end when sleeping. Combat this stiffness and improve overall function by doing some simple shoulder stretching exercises when you wake up, before you go to bed and if you’re ever feeling stiff throughout the day.
- Physical Therapy – Stronger shoulders are also less likely to feel uncomfortable when you’re laying in bed, so consider pursuing some shoulder strengthening exercises a couple times a week. Targeted physical therapy can also expand your range of motion and your overall shoulder function, making your shoulders more comfortable throughout the day. You can find some simple PT exercises by performing a Google search, or you can ask your provider for recommendations based on your specific diagnosis.
- Improve Your Sleeping Situation – If you follow the two above tips, we’re confident that you’ll be tackling your shoulder issues from a physical standpoint, but there are other ways you can work to make sleeping less of a chore. Really assess your sleeping environment and make it easier for the space to allow you to fall asleep and stay asleep. You don’t need a warm bedroom or light from a television to wake you up and interrupt your sleep, especially if shoulder discomfort makes it difficult to fall back asleep. Make your sleep environment cool and dark, go to bed and wake up around the same time each day to develop a healthy circadian rhythm, and remove distractions like cell phones or televisions that could wake you up in the middle of the night. Improving your sleep environment can be a key component of getting better sleep if you’re dealing with dull or worsening shoulder discomfort when laying down.
We want to help you get back to a comfortable night’s sleep, so if you’re finding it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, connect with Dr. Holloway and his team. For more information, or for assistance overcoming a different shoulder concern, give Dr. Holloway’s office a call today at (865) 410-7887.
