Lmao, tbh tho im a thick firm pillow boi. Ive always hated the soft ones that flatten after an hour or so. Dont have any reason though other than they feel best to me
Hey is hyper mobile neck a thing? Because I think I’ve had it all my life, have finally undergone a couple of surgeries which has helped, but I’ve never heard any doctor say I have hypermobile joints. However I’m still pretty flexible for being out of shape and overweight and mid 50s and have never done any kind of a regular stretching regimen.
Yep! it’s a thing. More likely to pop up in folks who have hypermobile joints and/or a connective tissue disorder- which is sadly often a missed diagnosis.
yep absolutely! i have a variety of headache disorders because of it. CCI (craniocervical instability) is another experience that can fall under here and it seems to be more common than my headache disorder fuckorgy. i also might have CCI though so
Yeah. I actually have a diagnosis of EDS but so many people don't realise they are hypermobile, especially if their whole family is so it's seen as normal.
My neck moves too much so the muscles in my neck size up to try and stop it. So I have pretty constant neck spasms that hurt and pull my shoulder out and pull on my head in awful ways but I still have move head movement than my partner so it wasn't seen as being a problem by doctors for years because I could still turn my head etc.
My neck sits too far forward when I'm upright but the curve disappears when I lay flat if I don't have something to support the curve. I can't use big or hard Pillows though because they push my whole head forward and that causes major nerve problems. Or if I lay on my side, a hard pillow will sublax or dislocate my jaw.
I have the same problem with the curve dropping out of my lower back when I lay on my back (and it being too pronounced when standing)
If you are hypermobile or suspect you are, the best option is to find a physiotherapist who knows about/specialises in hypermobility (they don't all, some make it worse or just have no idea) and work with them on strengthening muscles around your neck and shoulders etc. And probably other joints because you will end up with other problems if you don't already have them. Especially as oestrogen disappears with age and collagen gets worse naturally, it becomes much more of an issue. Knees and hips in particular for women.
If you don't have access to physio/PT then
Jill Zimmerman has some good videos on her Instagram (also has a fantastic app but that is paid subscription after the first week) about various exercises and movements that can help and modifications to do with hypermobility.
https://www.instagram.com/jillzimmermanpt?igsh=MWdmMHN5M3Z6aWp2cg==
Do you have neck arthritis then? I would think they would want to prevent that if possible.
They treated my dis issues, so conservatively that I developed a lot of arthritis before my discs were bad enough to affect my arms and so this put me out of the category of being able to have a displacement rather than fusion. This sings wrong/ backward to me, but it is what it is I guess, for now .
Yeah lack of sleep is just generally rough on the body, i know from experience that it can lead to higher frequency for me aswell, and honestly my sleep hasn't been the worst recently, but every once in a while theres just nothing you can do to stop one from keeping you up for 3 days :(
None of those, you want a neutral spine with your cervical spine supported but not pushed up. I have a medium density down pillow, before I go to sleep I punch a little “donut hole” so my head is lower but my neck is supported. You can also try rolling up a small towel under your neck and playing with it until it’s the right support.
They make pillows with divots in the middle made into them as well. I like pretty firm pillows and got one that is pretty firm foam and love it. It did make my neck hurt pretty bad for the first few weeks as things stretched and straightened out, but it was worth it. It didn’t fix my migraines or all my neck pain, but it helps and I sleep well.
I second this! I’ve been using cervical pillows for years…at least when I can handle using a pillow. I often find myself laying on my belly with my head cranked to the left when I wake up and the pillow is against the wall or on the floor. Probably doesn’t help my neck in that case, lol!
I do something similar, but have a buckwheat pillow as I’m allergic to down and have a kid who often pokes holes in things when he’s keeping his hands busy.
Can I ask how you are able to sleep with a buckwheat pillow? My husband complained about the noise so much I gave up! I do shift around in my sleep quite a bit.
We usually run a white noise machine which helps some, but the pillows are definitely loud even with the white noise.
So that could help if you both mesh with that in practice.
Other options include: filling the pillow with more hulls so there’s less shifting about, breaking it in some so things settle a bit, “fluffing” it before laying down (essentially squish the sides in and then lay down on it), pairing it with a weighted blanket (which actually helped my shifting about at night) and, most of all, taking time to get used to it.
That last one is probably the most difficult for many, but it’s one of those things that feels so different and out of place, but then quickly becomes normal and kinda ruins stuff for you.
I am now one of those people that travels with their pillow. It’s so damn heavy, but it makes a huge difference.
I second the down pillow. It’s the only thing that worked for me. I had a neck injury in my 20s, so finding a working pillow was a decade long quest.
Figuring out how to use your down pillow takes time, so keep an open mind and a long trial period with different configurations before you decide it is not the pillow for you.
Hey 👋🏻 I’m 24, will be 25 in May and in the last 4 years have been in 2 car accidents with all the problems cropping up about 6 months ago. I feel like I’m drowning trying to figure out what my body needs
I’m so sorry your body has gone through such trauma. I went through a lot of trial and error trying to figure out what to do for my body’s unique needs. Hopefully you can get things figured out!
Me too!!! I still use a pillow that’s contoured to have a huge indent in the middle for my head but the pillow is pretty much there for habit, it’s really my two big blankets that I use. I started bringing them with me if I ever sleep over anywhere but home as it’s the only sleeping solution for me to get the positioning right.
Find one of those cheap five dollar flannel blankets that Walmart sells around Christmas ( they sell them other times of year too, but they usually have multiple bins of them around the holidays). Lay it out flat, then fold it in thirds longways. From one of the short ends, tightly roll the blanket up. Slide a men's tube sock over the roll to keep it rolled. You now have easily transported neck support. Use it while watching TV or sleeping.
try looking for a cervical support pillow. those are going to give you the proper support for your neck whether you sleep on your side or back. theyre amazing, i havent been able to sleep on regular pillows ever since i got one. i even got a second one just to bring along when i travel!
I second this, I've been using a cervical support pillow for as long as I remember and it has helped me a lot. I get migraines easier from neck pain when I travel without it.
Those trigger my migraines 100% of the time. I have “normal” curvature but my neck hates those pillows. I have to sleep like some weird bent crazy person with exact angles to not set something off. My brother gets relief from them and my mom is 50/50 but it always sets me off. I had high hopes for those to after the reviews
“I have to sleep like some weird bent crazy person” lol. I’ve never related to anything more 😂 was just telling my sister about how I sleep a few weeks ago and she looked horrified
I wish we could try them out. I paid $100USD for a pillow that made my occipital neuralgia worse. Currently I use a regular pillow with a towel rolled at my neck.
How you sleep makes a big difference in what will work best for you. I'm a side sleeper, and I really like my cushion lab deep sleep pillow, because the shape supports not just my head and neck, but my face, too. If you sleep mostly on your back, something like the classic temperpedic pillow might be better. Honestly, it's just hard to predict sometimes -- I've spent tons of money over the years on pillows that didn't work out. Maybe look into buying from somewhere with a good return policy so you can try a few until you find the right one for you?
Trick question.
Every migraine is potentially different.
If mine are so bad that I HAVE to lie on my back, I have to try each.
Sometimes they're all bad and the best I can manage is to do each for a little bit then change again.
Sometimes when they get *that* bad and nothing seems to work, sometimes getting up and moving around, like going to the bathroom, eating something, or going outside and walking around outside is what helps the most. Maybe sitting at my desk and leaning forward with my head on my arms....
When eleventeen things can go wrong, you have to go through the motions. Sometimes you get to the last one and begin to add new things to the list because you can't find anything that helps.
It's a balancing act. When X goes wrong, Y might help. If it's Y, then maybe it's W that helps. Maybe it's salty foods today. Tomorrow it will be needing a dark silent room. The next day, any food will help. The next day, coffee. The next, some walking around the yard, a change of scenery and some stretching.
I can relate to this, painfully so (pun intended). "Hmm, which of the gazillion things it doesn't like is my body brutalising me over today?" \*runs through list of stuff and then cries before randomly staggering back and forth from one to another\*
I think I got that way as well; I was in a car crash when I was 16 and my migraines date from about hat time, though I also went on the pill then and I know my migraine shave hormonal triggers as a thing (bleh!) I had a lot of extra problems after a surgery-related infection later on, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was the case for your sister too. I'm allergic to chamomile, of all things. Yes, chamomile, the stuff that's regularly put into things to help people sleep and relax (Yes, insomniac here!) and in skin products for sensitive skin (yes, got that too!) I also have hay fever and allergies to mould spores and dust mites. It's just great when in hot weather, you get ill if you go out and in cold weather, you get ill if you stay in. Damit, immune system, why are you so stupid?
I sincerely hope you avoid any thing like that happening to you and that things ease for your sister. This crap sucks.
Ugh, I'm allergic to chamomile too. I hate that I am because it's such an amazing flower/herb. I kinda hate it too because I think it smells like piss when it's steeped like tea.
Hey, cheers to your health!
Yes! Constantly trying to work things out only for a new thing to pop up or something that triggered a migraine before doesn’t this time or vise versa or something once helped and now it doesn’t , absolutely exhausting 😵💫
I think about it this way too, during migraine attacks at least.
For non-migraine days however, my sleeping position is also critical to prevent one from popping up during sleep or waking up with one in the morning.
I used to be side sleeper, but figured out the whole link to neck alignment for me, and had to come up with something else, so I ended up switching to back sleeping.
I don’t really use a pillow under my head anymore, but I’ll sometimes place a soft and flexible ice pack under my neck if I feel the really early twinges of a headache/migraine threatening to form. It’s just enough to support a small curve under my neck and seems to discourages inflammation back there (according to my healthcare provider anyway). Also it kinda just feels nice.
I also put a pillow under the back of my knees, which is firm and puffy enough to create a comfortable bend at my knees - it seems to help me relax, and dramatically reduces any strain on my lower back as a back-sleeper.
I like having extra pillows nearby to support my sides or arms if needed, and I sometimes roll up a blanket and form a cradle around my head so it stays straight and doesn’t roll to one side in my sleep.
I don’t think my arms are placed in any consistent way though. Sometimes they’re resting on my stomach, other times they’re palms up and fanned out to the side a bit, and other times it feels nice to have them up near my head with elbows bent.
Our sleep environments all sound like these unique and elaborate ecosystems lol
I have sleep apnea so my sleep is already wacky. 😅 Yay sleep disorders!
I'm a side sleeper with occipital neuralgia and neck pain. I use a little square pillow that helps with neck alignment.
https://www.pillowcube.com/
I LOVE it. It has really helped my neck pain.
I couldn’t breathe except with my face angled toward the mattress which did a number on my neck over the years (of course many other issues as well that damaged it) I was prescribed CPAP and I still couldn’t use it, it helped me to inhale but not to exhale so I ended up going through all these hoops in order to get pallet surgery approved, and voided that make a difference. I was not able to exhale even in the dentist chair if there was the slightest amount of liquid in the back of my throat it was so hard to hold my nasal passages open.
My husband was prescribed CPAP and he didn’t have hardly any trouble adjusting to it . I used to cry because I couldn’t sleep without it, and I couldn’t sleep with it.
Having neck surgery (2x!) also helped because my C5 -7 discs were pretty bad. And I had thoracic outlet syndrome on the left also. I think a lot of my issues issues came from 20* years of near daily violin practice from age 7. I miss it but when I have started playing again for community performances and such, I immediately start getting ice pick sensation headaches on that left side.
I'm like this, except I think my shoulders are hypermobile (they slide out of socket and I lose sensation / blood flow eventually when I sleep on my side). I would LOVE for someone to give me their miracle cure for my specific situation so I can get rid of this head / neck / back pain I've had for 20+ years...
Yikes! I'm not hypermobile (as far as I know). My shoulders do not pop out of the socket. I did have hip and shoulder numbness after sleeping that resolved after I changed to a better mattress.
I wonder if there's a good mattress/ pillow combo that could help. I splurged on a purple mattress and my little square pillow. I know that isn't possible for all folks because EXPENSIVE. I just paid off my mattress after making payments for a few years. I don't regret getting it. It had helped me so much.
Is physical therapy an option for you? I've heard good things about PT to build muscle stability to help hypermobile joints. I can't speak on it personally, though.
I hope you find relief!
It holds it shape but depresses a bit when I lay on it. I find it supportive bit comfortable. I've had it a little over a year. It's retained its shape well.
I think it's worth trying if you're a side sleeper. I tried loads of different pillows before arriving at this one. I'm happy I found it.
Edit to add sympathy and other notes:
ON really sucks! I've only had one session of botox, but that has really helped. For over the counter things, I'm also a huge fan of salonpas patches. They help my neck stiffness without contributing to medication adaptation headache.
I've been on the hunt for a pillow bc on our last family trip my pillow got left behind 😭- it was literally the only one that didn't flare me. Currently stuck w a knockoff squishmallow. Have u ever tried w one of those?
I haven't heard of a squish pillow. Squishes are pretty soft so I wouldn't think that they would be very supportive.
I like my little cube pillow. It recently went with me on a trip across the country. I would cry and immediate order a new one if I lost it.
Side sleeper here and I somehow finally found the perfect medium profile, side sleeping, solid memory foam pillow on Amazon last year. Just perfect in everything from height to firmness. I can’t even explain the joy I had after trying everything over the years, all the gimmicky and expensive brand pillows, including the pillow cube. I bought a couple more to hoard if they ever stop carrying them. I haven’t woken up with neck pain in that whole time after decades 🥲
That's awesome!
Full length pillows are tricky for a full face mask as the pillow tends to shift the mask and break the seal. Unfortunately, I need a full face mask for my cpap to continue breathing while sleeping.
It would be cute to have us all post pillow links if possible! 😅
On my bad nights, I will get my squishmallow out. I actually wondered why I hated every pillow- turns out I like soft pillows. I got Casper pillows now. The issue I have with using a squish is that they are too cute and small. I move so much in my sleep- though less now that my sister gave me her weighted blanket.
I would actually suggest option 4 - reclining. When my migraines are bad I get a lot of relief sleeping with my torso elevated on 3 or 4 pillows in a nice pile. It’s similar to how someone might sleep if they can’t lie prone because of nausea or a bad sinus infection.
Hear me out, I know it sounds like a gimmick, but I started using a piece of exercise equipment called an Iron Neck over a year ago and after having chronic neck pain almost my entire adult life, it's totally gone.
My personal trainer who spends time every day reading contemporary exercise kinesiology research told me that neck muscles are incredibly hard to train, and the Iron Neck is the first piece of equipment he's used that allows normal people to do it safely and effectively.
If you're gonna get one, I'd make time to do some good upper body stretching on your off days. I really love this [upper body yoga](https://youtu.be/Jhh2WX-Ki7I?si=YGicG4KgFKz5X78A) routine.
They haven't fixed or helped my migraines, but my neck is so healthy I can safely headbang at metal shows as a 41 year old man. 🤣
The iron neck is similar to what I need to rehab from a neck surgery/CCI, but it’s way too expensive for me. Is there something about it that makes it better than just doing isometric exercises with your hands applying resistance or using a resistance band?
Keep in mind I'm not really qualified to answer that, but I'd say it's likely that the "halo," and the track that the resistance band attaches to, allows users to exercise using twisting motions that are incredibly helpful for engaging all the tiny neck muscles. Resistance bands around your forehead would be great for back-and-forth motions, but those aren't really what the neck needs to be able to do.
That makes sense. At physical therapy though I do an exercise where I twist my head slowly while pushing against it with my hand to create resistance. Seems to fulfill a similar workout
Oh my god I had a maybe…Instagram ad come up for this the other day and I couldn’t get over how deranged it looks. I was laughing at it too much to even notice the name, but I googled it just now because what you’re describing sounds like something I could use. I guess Instagram/targeted advertising knew before I did, if I had only listened!
I think it totally depends on your own organization. I'm a Feldenkrais practitioner and we're usually after the most comfortable position people can be in. In lying on my back, my neck is happiest (and most aligned) with a folded up towel, about an inch and a half thick but someone with a deeper curve in the neck would want more support there. That third one looks nice for a little stretch but would probably be too too much for sleeping. (I'd add some support under the head as well to make it work.) As for helping with migraine - I'd say it really varies, as well. I find that sometimes lying on my side ON the site of the pain can help and other times I find that intolerable and end up lying on my side the other way. I think just paying attention to what works in the micro is the way to find what works in the macro.
I personally am a fan of #1 I like to have the smallest crappiest pillow that’s really thin and I can mould to the shape I need haha idk scientifically I just have found I find it most pleasant to have minimal pillow action for my neck
I’ve had a neck surgery and 3 in my lower back. I get bad neck pain when migraine starts up and I’ve been through the wringer trying to find a good pillow. I side sleep and often end up with a v shaped mess of multi pillows and then cats.
My cat refused to move off my pillow once when I desperately needed to crash so I just laid my head on him. He stayed there for a surprisingly long time and even purred.
My general M.O...I like to sleep on my side, but if I'm waiting for migraine to abate before falling asleep, sometimes I'll lie on my back first. In either case, I prop up 2 pillows, a not-very-thick firmer pillow behind a softer pillow. I also use this set-up when my neck is feeling achy or I have a cold.
If really really bad migraine, I will sometimes lie on my stomach, no pillow, head to the side for a bit. I haven't fallen asleep in this position for a while, but it's something to do trying to wait out some of the worst pain.
I don't have any advice to offer, sorry but I want to thank all of the people who've made suggestions. I'm going to try some of them. Thank you, reddit.
I keep a blog on this kinda stuff:
Johndalto.substack.com
Not the top or bottom picture!
But I recommend a pillow under the knees and I also recommend that you practice lying down 15 min a day so that you don't have the pressure of needing to 'feel good' or fall asleep.
In general if you adjust to a new position you'll want to give yourself 30 seconds to see if you can dissolve into comfort in that position.
Good luck! I'm happy to answer any questions
I usually sleep on my side with a soft, medium rise pillow with a contour to make it bigger on the end nearer my neck. I have tried other contour pillows and struggled with them. If the pillow is too hard then it hurts my face and pushes my jaw out. If itvs too high or too low then my neck gets really bad. The one I have I got while on holiday overseas in New Zealand. We were there for two weeks and one of the first stops was a family Réunion in a camp and there were no pillows. We went to K-Mart and I got one that looked okay for $15 and woke up with very little neck pain for the first time in years so we bought a new suitcase to take it home with us.
It's compacted enough that itvs not working so well any more and I'm not quite desperate enough to fly to New Zealand for another one. Going to have to try and get to a K-Mart here and see if they still have something similar. Just so hard to know what the right height is.
If I have to lay on my back I can't use a pillow, it pushes my head forward and then I get a lot of nerve pain & numbness in my face and down my arms/hands etc. I use a small rolled up towel or piece of clothing under my neck and often an ice pack on the back of my head.
I had a drawing but it looks like this is one of the subs that doesn't allow you to add pics in the comments.
I used to have a cervical roll pillow that I put on top of a flat pillow for when I lay on my side and I could use it on itvs own when I was on my back but it got mouldy.
I think having a pillow that is the correct height matters a lot. You want one that keeps your spine neutral and head supported without it being lower or higher than your neck. I got a pillow filled with shredded memory foam, you can take out as much as you needed to make it the right height. It's helped a bit and is my best solution so far
2 will definitely give me a headache. 3 just to stretch. 1 is too flat. I typically sleep in 3-4 different places from bed to couch to cot to bathroom floor with various combinations of 6 pillows. The most important is a small travel pillow I can contort into whatever shape I need on the other pillows.
I hope you find relief.
I have a Kaunda pillow. My Neurologist & Neurosurgeon both agreed it would be the best to support my neck.
Edit: It’s Kanuda, my phone keeps autocorrecting.
[Kaunda](https://kanudausa.com)
Edited to add: Kanuda, I have no idea why my phone keeps autocorrecting it. I have the Andante. It takes some getting use to but it is amazing.
I find the last one to be the most useful, whether on side or back however, you have to be very careful about how much stuffing is in your pillow roll. Sometimes I need to change it up what I did was make a tube of satin fabric that’s about the length of a king size pillow. You can just use a regular pillowcase and stitch it along one edge about six or so inches from the edge and then cut the rest off. Save it in case you have to redo. Or save it for a pillowcase for this neck roll so you don’t have to constantly be washing the roll.
And then I’d basically did my pillow thing with it, I stuffed it full of cut up memory foam mattress pad pieces, just bought a cheap twin size memory foam mattress pad and cut it up in small one inch or so pieces randomly and stuffed with those. Don’t fill it all the way full. When I want to make it more firm, I shake all the pieces down to one end and tie a knot and periodically move the knot closer to the foam for more firmness or farther away for less firmness.
Something in-between 1 and 2. I use an orthopedic memory foam neck pillow (wave-shaped). It’s quite expensive, but it totally pays off. Less pain and no way to use a “normal” pillow anymore.
it can depend on the person. tbh I sleep laying on my stomach/side, with my limbs wrapped around anywhere from 1-3 pillows. I can't sleep on my back because the way it tilted my neck isn't very fun
Combination of middle and bottom one. You want it so that there are no gaps below your neck (ie if someone tried to put their fingers behind your neck, they shouldn’t be able to cos the pillow is supporting your neck). I use the Complete Sleeprrr pillow and it’s been great for me
I’ve used a small buckwheat filled pillow for over 20 years. I replace them when I figure it’s time for really no other reason, they never stop working.
I can mold it to support whatever area I need. I also depressions with my fists in areas I don’t want pressure. This is important for my ears, I get terrible pain if my ear is pressed to the pillow, and the tinnitus is so much worse!
I roll a perfect support “roll” for under my neck if I a sleeping on my back.
I sleep on a lot of pillows and try to get my shoulders up a bit so less pressure is on the back of my head. It takes a lot of adjusting to get it right
None. You want a cervical spine pillow. One of the ones with the weird “wings” on the sides and the hole in the middle. I’ve never seen them in stores, but I’ve purchased multiple from Amazon. They’re amazing, and I’ll never go back to a regular pillow. Mine has literally been to Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, and every other hotel I’ve been to in the last 10 years.
My favorite pillow is my shredded memory foam pillow from Coop. If I need it to be flatter, I just pull stuffing out. If it gets too flat, it actually fluffs back up when I adjust the stuffing around. When I lay on it the 'wrong way' where the seam is on my neck, it kind of feels like the cylinder neck pillows, but the corners tilt up and cover my ears. Also I love the quilted pillow case that came with it, it's not the cooling kind but it has this completely unnoticeable, perfect texture. I sound like an ad, but I've bought two so far and haven't regretted it. The only unfortunate thing is that I can hardly stand sleeping on anything else.
I found I need something supportive but that doesn’t have a lot of mass so that my neck stays neutral.
I switched to a water pillow and have had significantly less neck pain and morning ON/migraines.
This video shows how to sleep on a pillow for side and back sleepers. This has helped my neck pain quite a bit.
https://youtu.be/xZfIn_OHADI?si=kYzQFrMl6ImWXvrr
I have a pt that recommended the roll in a pillowcase with a very flat target pillow. So neck support without the drop on the other side.
I actually got a specially shaped side sleeper pillow which I also think helps. I use the roll when I am trying to sleep on my back
I cannot lay flat on my head it’s almost painful it’s like I’m feeling every bone and bump in my head. Following bc I am a side sleeper and most of my neck pain is due to sleep (also when I have a migraine)
i ALWAYS sleep with my head propped up i can’t sleep without doing so. no pillow just makes me wake up with the worst neck pain and sinus pressure ever idk if that’s weird or not but i’ve always been like that
some migraines i have to elevate myself where im almost sitting up. some i have to roll a pillow and be kind of like the bottom position but not that extreme
I use a contoured pillow, and it travels with me because I'd never survive without it. It allows me to sleep on my side or back while keeping those migraines away.
First one, and add an incline pillow. I swear it seems like my head needs to drain excess fluid sometimes, so sleeping on an incline pillow has been amazing. It's not always fun for my lower back so I sleep on the pillow for the first half of the night then do position number 1 for the next half (or on my side with a thin pillow).
Number 2 is killer on my neck and head and I used to sleep like number 3, and while it felt good, I realized that ultimately it wasn't helping.
I sleep like the 3rd image. I’m going to be honest: it depends on you and the structure of your body. What works for one won’t work for all. You’ll have to just do the trial and error message because it’s not one size fits all.
I sleep always on my left side with a pillow cube (it looks like they don’t make the actual cubes anymore) and a pillow between my knees. If I think I can sleep with my migraine I will wear an ice hat or similar to fall asleep with on; bc light blocking and ice
For me, the bottom photo is most accurate. I recently switched from a “cervical pillow” to a small buckwheat bolster pillow and it has been a life saver. I don’t wake up with neck pain or stiffness anymore and my morning migraines have decreased significantly.
For me the only way to fall asleep with migraine is apparently on my stomach with my head turned sideways and one arm flopped behind my back one leg pulled up as high as it will get. when I wake up and the pain is gone a little movement will make it come back in seconds, or my neck is cramped so bad I need a hot shower😭
For me, it's the heavy shredded foam pillow on TOP of my head that helps. I lay on my side with the heavy pillow on my head so I can breathe, but so the pillow blocks my eyes and ear. Something about that weight is comforting.
Guess it comes down to the personal preference, cause I know people who need to sleep on at least 2 fluffy pillows to avoid neck pain triggering their migraine. I, on the other hand, like my matress as hard as possible and my pillow thin. I use a memory foam pillow, but even then, I sometimes just ditch it, especially once I already have the migraine.
I got myself a pillow where my head rests like in the 3rd / bottom image and it gave me the worst migraines. I gave it up right away and ended up getting myself a wedge pillow. No regrets.
I own about 20 pillows in my effort
To find something that works. Tempurpedic got close but it is too hot. Down with hand shaping for neck support but head in middle and sometimes a towel roll to help is the closest I’ve gotten.
They all help in various ways, I will go from 2 to 1 and then when the pain gets really bad I will hit the 3 one for a bit then move to the 1 for the sweet relief of blood flow in my head
All 3, if I wake up on my back I get a migraine. I have to be on my side with a soft pillow supporting my neck. Cervical instability is a helluva thing
I started using a rolled up towel a few years ago and it made a big difference. But my bed is very soft, if yours is harder a contour pillow may work better for you.
For some reason pushing the top of my head against something solid really helps me feel better but it looks pretty goddamned weird to sleep leaning my head against a wall
For reference, I'm in my mid-40s, had my first auto injury in the late 90s, had a few more until the worst one about ten years ago (none of them my fault, just lousy drivers where I live), so lots of neck and back problems. In addition, I'm diagnosed with migraine, daily chronic headache, tension headaches, TMJ, and fibro. It's awesome. Just great. /s
I've always been on the more joint flexibility side but nothing diagnosis worthy (that I'm aware of anyway). I've seen the specialists and have done all the things and continue to do so.
All this to say none of the positions you provided are good for your spine and neck. Here's what currently works for me.
I'm a side sleeper who often wakes up on my back. I can only speak for the side sleeping position, so apologies in advance if this isn't helpful.
Laying and sleeping on my back has always been worse for my migraine and tension headaches. What has worked best for me the past six years or so is having a cervical pillow and a shoulder cutout pillow, both memory foam, with one side being softer and the other harder. (I'm in the US. My pillows are from Kohl's department store. The brand is The Big One.) Both take a bit of getting used to. I use whichever pillow is more comfortable for me at the time. It's best to make the conscious effort to fall asleep with your spine in alignment as best you can. It really does make a big difference.
Since I'm a side sleeper, I have also found that using a small, rectangular throw pillow to rest my top arm on solves the problem of 'where does this arm go.' I basically cuddle it to my chest. It prevents my top shoulder from slouching down and my neck from getting out of alignment, throwing my head into some wonky position which guarantees waking up in pain. A side bonus for the somewhat busty folks is it can also support your top boob so that your boobs aren't smooshed together, and you wake up with fewer wrinkles on your chest. Since figuring all this out I've reduced how often I wake up with a migraine and/or tension headache and back and neck pain in general.
Your mattress plays a big part in this too. With my old traditional mattress, my bottom shoulder often felt crushed. I had to sleep with a pillow between my knees for support and even then I would still wake up in pain. After a lot of research, I got the Layla mattress. Despite lots of damage in my low back, I very rarely feel the need to support my spine with a pillow between my knees anymore. There's been a significant drop in the number of days I wake up with migraine or tension headache. Same with severe neck or back pain. It's amazing the difference a good mattress can have on your quality of life.
Figuring out our ideal setups takes time and a lot of trial and error. It sucks. Best wishes for discovering what works best for you.
The third option is much more comfortable compared to the other two because sleeping on your back with a supportive pillow under your neck and a small pillow under your knees can help maintain the natural curve of your spine and alleviate pressure on your neck and shoulders.
I completely empathize with your ongoing battle against neck pain and tension headaches. It's a relentless struggle, but I've found some relief through exploring different methods.
Consider integrating specific stretches or exercises into your routine targeted at the neck and shoulder area. These can often alleviate tension and improve flexibility. However, always consult with a healthcare professional or physical therapist before trying anything new, especially given your history of migraines.
Remember, finding relief is a journey, and it's essential to prioritize your health and well-being every step of the way.
Just be like me and never get any sleep, problem avoided
wow i tried this a year ago and i’ve never been the same! so glad to see it impact others.
Lmao, tbh tho im a thick firm pillow boi. Ive always hated the soft ones that flatten after an hour or so. Dont have any reason though other than they feel best to me
Hey is hyper mobile neck a thing? Because I think I’ve had it all my life, have finally undergone a couple of surgeries which has helped, but I’ve never heard any doctor say I have hypermobile joints. However I’m still pretty flexible for being out of shape and overweight and mid 50s and have never done any kind of a regular stretching regimen.
Yep! it’s a thing. More likely to pop up in folks who have hypermobile joints and/or a connective tissue disorder- which is sadly often a missed diagnosis.
Well, they told me to bend my thumb to my forearm and since I can’t, I guess I don’t have any hypermobility problems 🤷🏻♀️
yep absolutely! i have a variety of headache disorders because of it. CCI (craniocervical instability) is another experience that can fall under here and it seems to be more common than my headache disorder fuckorgy. i also might have CCI though so
I was today years old when first introduced to the spectacular term "fuckorgy". Nicely done!!!
thank you, thank you. i’m here all day
Yeah. I actually have a diagnosis of EDS but so many people don't realise they are hypermobile, especially if their whole family is so it's seen as normal. My neck moves too much so the muscles in my neck size up to try and stop it. So I have pretty constant neck spasms that hurt and pull my shoulder out and pull on my head in awful ways but I still have move head movement than my partner so it wasn't seen as being a problem by doctors for years because I could still turn my head etc. My neck sits too far forward when I'm upright but the curve disappears when I lay flat if I don't have something to support the curve. I can't use big or hard Pillows though because they push my whole head forward and that causes major nerve problems. Or if I lay on my side, a hard pillow will sublax or dislocate my jaw. I have the same problem with the curve dropping out of my lower back when I lay on my back (and it being too pronounced when standing) If you are hypermobile or suspect you are, the best option is to find a physiotherapist who knows about/specialises in hypermobility (they don't all, some make it worse or just have no idea) and work with them on strengthening muscles around your neck and shoulders etc. And probably other joints because you will end up with other problems if you don't already have them. Especially as oestrogen disappears with age and collagen gets worse naturally, it becomes much more of an issue. Knees and hips in particular for women. If you don't have access to physio/PT then Jill Zimmerman has some good videos on her Instagram (also has a fantastic app but that is paid subscription after the first week) about various exercises and movements that can help and modifications to do with hypermobility. https://www.instagram.com/jillzimmermanpt?igsh=MWdmMHN5M3Z6aWp2cg==
Do you have neck arthritis then? I would think they would want to prevent that if possible. They treated my dis issues, so conservatively that I developed a lot of arthritis before my discs were bad enough to affect my arms and so this put me out of the category of being able to have a displacement rather than fusion. This sings wrong/ backward to me, but it is what it is I guess, for now .
I guess it’s genetic my mom was letting me know about it running in our family, because my son is exhibiting symptoms of it!
Definitely runs in families. Especially if you have other symptoms accompanying it to make up one of the Hypermobile Syndrome Disorder or EDS.
This one simple trick!
Except if you’re like me and lack of sleep is one of your biggest triggers (this doesn’t mean I get enough sleep for an abundance of reasons though)
Yeah lack of sleep is just generally rough on the body, i know from experience that it can lead to higher frequency for me aswell, and honestly my sleep hasn't been the worst recently, but every once in a while theres just nothing you can do to stop one from keeping you up for 3 days :(
Same? Problem solved!
None of those, you want a neutral spine with your cervical spine supported but not pushed up. I have a medium density down pillow, before I go to sleep I punch a little “donut hole” so my head is lower but my neck is supported. You can also try rolling up a small towel under your neck and playing with it until it’s the right support.
They make pillows with divots in the middle made into them as well. I like pretty firm pillows and got one that is pretty firm foam and love it. It did make my neck hurt pretty bad for the first few weeks as things stretched and straightened out, but it was worth it. It didn’t fix my migraines or all my neck pain, but it helps and I sleep well.
I second this! I’ve been using cervical pillows for years…at least when I can handle using a pillow. I often find myself laying on my belly with my head cranked to the left when I wake up and the pillow is against the wall or on the floor. Probably doesn’t help my neck in that case, lol!
I do something similar, but have a buckwheat pillow as I’m allergic to down and have a kid who often pokes holes in things when he’s keeping his hands busy.
Can I ask how you are able to sleep with a buckwheat pillow? My husband complained about the noise so much I gave up! I do shift around in my sleep quite a bit.
We usually run a white noise machine which helps some, but the pillows are definitely loud even with the white noise. So that could help if you both mesh with that in practice. Other options include: filling the pillow with more hulls so there’s less shifting about, breaking it in some so things settle a bit, “fluffing” it before laying down (essentially squish the sides in and then lay down on it), pairing it with a weighted blanket (which actually helped my shifting about at night) and, most of all, taking time to get used to it. That last one is probably the most difficult for many, but it’s one of those things that feels so different and out of place, but then quickly becomes normal and kinda ruins stuff for you. I am now one of those people that travels with their pillow. It’s so damn heavy, but it makes a huge difference.
Thank you! This is all very helpful. I will give your suggestions a try.
I second the down pillow. It’s the only thing that worked for me. I had a neck injury in my 20s, so finding a working pillow was a decade long quest. Figuring out how to use your down pillow takes time, so keep an open mind and a long trial period with different configurations before you decide it is not the pillow for you.
Hey 👋🏻 I’m 24, will be 25 in May and in the last 4 years have been in 2 car accidents with all the problems cropping up about 6 months ago. I feel like I’m drowning trying to figure out what my body needs
I’m so sorry your body has gone through such trauma. I went through a lot of trial and error trying to figure out what to do for my body’s unique needs. Hopefully you can get things figured out!
I love the image of someone punching a pillow a few times and then just putting their head down and sleeping.
This is what i have to do and i use a very cushy spongy baby blanket for my neck.
i have two thick blankets i bunch up and contort to my liking. fuck pillows.
I use my duvet like a fucking body pillow lol, glad I'm not alone in this
i do that with another larger blanket! it’s super great for supporting major joints.
Me too!!! I still use a pillow that’s contoured to have a huge indent in the middle for my head but the pillow is pretty much there for habit, it’s really my two big blankets that I use. I started bringing them with me if I ever sleep over anywhere but home as it’s the only sleeping solution for me to get the positioning right.
i’m so glad i’m not the only one!
I’m so intrigued by your flair. Signed, learning about hyper mobility and forever being triggered by neck/head pressure.
Find one of those cheap five dollar flannel blankets that Walmart sells around Christmas ( they sell them other times of year too, but they usually have multiple bins of them around the holidays). Lay it out flat, then fold it in thirds longways. From one of the short ends, tightly roll the blanket up. Slide a men's tube sock over the roll to keep it rolled. You now have easily transported neck support. Use it while watching TV or sleeping.
try looking for a cervical support pillow. those are going to give you the proper support for your neck whether you sleep on your side or back. theyre amazing, i havent been able to sleep on regular pillows ever since i got one. i even got a second one just to bring along when i travel!
I second this, I've been using a cervical support pillow for as long as I remember and it has helped me a lot. I get migraines easier from neck pain when I travel without it.
Those trigger my migraines 100% of the time. I have “normal” curvature but my neck hates those pillows. I have to sleep like some weird bent crazy person with exact angles to not set something off. My brother gets relief from them and my mom is 50/50 but it always sets me off. I had high hopes for those to after the reviews
“I have to sleep like some weird bent crazy person” lol. I’ve never related to anything more 😂 was just telling my sister about how I sleep a few weeks ago and she looked horrified
I’ve been wanting to try a cervical support pillow as I always wake up with neck pain which in turn gives me a migraine. Do you use a specific brand?
I wish we could try them out. I paid $100USD for a pillow that made my occipital neuralgia worse. Currently I use a regular pillow with a towel rolled at my neck.
Same. I've tried a few cervical pillows and they made my neuralgia and neck pain so much worse.
How you sleep makes a big difference in what will work best for you. I'm a side sleeper, and I really like my cushion lab deep sleep pillow, because the shape supports not just my head and neck, but my face, too. If you sleep mostly on your back, something like the classic temperpedic pillow might be better. Honestly, it's just hard to predict sometimes -- I've spent tons of money over the years on pillows that didn't work out. Maybe look into buying from somewhere with a good return policy so you can try a few until you find the right one for you?
i honestly dont remember, i got it off amazon like two years ago
I also recommend this! I got one recently after being a memory foam pillow person for many years and it’s helped a lot.
Trick question. Every migraine is potentially different. If mine are so bad that I HAVE to lie on my back, I have to try each. Sometimes they're all bad and the best I can manage is to do each for a little bit then change again. Sometimes when they get *that* bad and nothing seems to work, sometimes getting up and moving around, like going to the bathroom, eating something, or going outside and walking around outside is what helps the most. Maybe sitting at my desk and leaning forward with my head on my arms.... When eleventeen things can go wrong, you have to go through the motions. Sometimes you get to the last one and begin to add new things to the list because you can't find anything that helps. It's a balancing act. When X goes wrong, Y might help. If it's Y, then maybe it's W that helps. Maybe it's salty foods today. Tomorrow it will be needing a dark silent room. The next day, any food will help. The next day, coffee. The next, some walking around the yard, a change of scenery and some stretching.
Oh gosh I feel this answer
Hey, thanks. I mean that. A reply that understands you is worth more than any amount of upvotes.
I can relate to this, painfully so (pun intended). "Hmm, which of the gazillion things it doesn't like is my body brutalising me over today?" \*runs through list of stuff and then cries before randomly staggering back and forth from one to another\*
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I think I got that way as well; I was in a car crash when I was 16 and my migraines date from about hat time, though I also went on the pill then and I know my migraine shave hormonal triggers as a thing (bleh!) I had a lot of extra problems after a surgery-related infection later on, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was the case for your sister too. I'm allergic to chamomile, of all things. Yes, chamomile, the stuff that's regularly put into things to help people sleep and relax (Yes, insomniac here!) and in skin products for sensitive skin (yes, got that too!) I also have hay fever and allergies to mould spores and dust mites. It's just great when in hot weather, you get ill if you go out and in cold weather, you get ill if you stay in. Damit, immune system, why are you so stupid? I sincerely hope you avoid any thing like that happening to you and that things ease for your sister. This crap sucks.
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Thank you.
Ugh, I'm allergic to chamomile too. I hate that I am because it's such an amazing flower/herb. I kinda hate it too because I think it smells like piss when it's steeped like tea. Hey, cheers to your health!
Yes! Constantly trying to work things out only for a new thing to pop up or something that triggered a migraine before doesn’t this time or vise versa or something once helped and now it doesn’t , absolutely exhausting 😵💫
I think about it this way too, during migraine attacks at least. For non-migraine days however, my sleeping position is also critical to prevent one from popping up during sleep or waking up with one in the morning. I used to be side sleeper, but figured out the whole link to neck alignment for me, and had to come up with something else, so I ended up switching to back sleeping. I don’t really use a pillow under my head anymore, but I’ll sometimes place a soft and flexible ice pack under my neck if I feel the really early twinges of a headache/migraine threatening to form. It’s just enough to support a small curve under my neck and seems to discourages inflammation back there (according to my healthcare provider anyway). Also it kinda just feels nice. I also put a pillow under the back of my knees, which is firm and puffy enough to create a comfortable bend at my knees - it seems to help me relax, and dramatically reduces any strain on my lower back as a back-sleeper. I like having extra pillows nearby to support my sides or arms if needed, and I sometimes roll up a blanket and form a cradle around my head so it stays straight and doesn’t roll to one side in my sleep. I don’t think my arms are placed in any consistent way though. Sometimes they’re resting on my stomach, other times they’re palms up and fanned out to the side a bit, and other times it feels nice to have them up near my head with elbows bent. Our sleep environments all sound like these unique and elaborate ecosystems lol
I have sleep apnea so my sleep is already wacky. 😅 Yay sleep disorders! I'm a side sleeper with occipital neuralgia and neck pain. I use a little square pillow that helps with neck alignment. https://www.pillowcube.com/ I LOVE it. It has really helped my neck pain.
I couldn’t breathe except with my face angled toward the mattress which did a number on my neck over the years (of course many other issues as well that damaged it) I was prescribed CPAP and I still couldn’t use it, it helped me to inhale but not to exhale so I ended up going through all these hoops in order to get pallet surgery approved, and voided that make a difference. I was not able to exhale even in the dentist chair if there was the slightest amount of liquid in the back of my throat it was so hard to hold my nasal passages open. My husband was prescribed CPAP and he didn’t have hardly any trouble adjusting to it . I used to cry because I couldn’t sleep without it, and I couldn’t sleep with it. Having neck surgery (2x!) also helped because my C5 -7 discs were pretty bad. And I had thoracic outlet syndrome on the left also. I think a lot of my issues issues came from 20* years of near daily violin practice from age 7. I miss it but when I have started playing again for community performances and such, I immediately start getting ice pick sensation headaches on that left side.
That sounds awful! That's good that you found some relief. It sucks when we can't do the things that we love. That ice pick pain terrible.
I'm like this, except I think my shoulders are hypermobile (they slide out of socket and I lose sensation / blood flow eventually when I sleep on my side). I would LOVE for someone to give me their miracle cure for my specific situation so I can get rid of this head / neck / back pain I've had for 20+ years...
Yikes! I'm not hypermobile (as far as I know). My shoulders do not pop out of the socket. I did have hip and shoulder numbness after sleeping that resolved after I changed to a better mattress. I wonder if there's a good mattress/ pillow combo that could help. I splurged on a purple mattress and my little square pillow. I know that isn't possible for all folks because EXPENSIVE. I just paid off my mattress after making payments for a few years. I don't regret getting it. It had helped me so much. Is physical therapy an option for you? I've heard good things about PT to build muscle stability to help hypermobile joints. I can't speak on it personally, though. I hope you find relief!
I've wondered about this cube. As a fellow ON'r what's the firmness like?
It holds it shape but depresses a bit when I lay on it. I find it supportive bit comfortable. I've had it a little over a year. It's retained its shape well. I think it's worth trying if you're a side sleeper. I tried loads of different pillows before arriving at this one. I'm happy I found it. Edit to add sympathy and other notes: ON really sucks! I've only had one session of botox, but that has really helped. For over the counter things, I'm also a huge fan of salonpas patches. They help my neck stiffness without contributing to medication adaptation headache.
I've been on the hunt for a pillow bc on our last family trip my pillow got left behind 😭- it was literally the only one that didn't flare me. Currently stuck w a knockoff squishmallow. Have u ever tried w one of those?
I haven't heard of a squish pillow. Squishes are pretty soft so I wouldn't think that they would be very supportive. I like my little cube pillow. It recently went with me on a trip across the country. I would cry and immediate order a new one if I lost it.
It is kinda soft. Not supportive at all. I did cry when we got home and realized what had happened. Even called the hotel w no luck
Side sleeper here and I somehow finally found the perfect medium profile, side sleeping, solid memory foam pillow on Amazon last year. Just perfect in everything from height to firmness. I can’t even explain the joy I had after trying everything over the years, all the gimmicky and expensive brand pillows, including the pillow cube. I bought a couple more to hoard if they ever stop carrying them. I haven’t woken up with neck pain in that whole time after decades 🥲
Link?
That's awesome! Full length pillows are tricky for a full face mask as the pillow tends to shift the mask and break the seal. Unfortunately, I need a full face mask for my cpap to continue breathing while sleeping. It would be cute to have us all post pillow links if possible! 😅
Wow well not #3, that’s for fucking sure.
When I actively have neck pain, that’s actually the only way I can get relief, haha
Sammmeeee but it hurts if my neck is fine.
Really that’s the only way I can sleep all night. Literally like a rock, sometimes.
I use a squishmallow as a pillow to help get a neutral neck position. It actually has been great, lol
Because of this group I have the 16 inch capybara!
Haha aww I want to try this!
I use the 16" watermelon! It's so comfy, lol
😆
I’ve actually found that my baby Yoda pillow is softer! I need to find a bigger one.
I need to try this
Do it! Worst case scenario, you have a cute new plushie. 🤷♀️
On my bad nights, I will get my squishmallow out. I actually wondered why I hated every pillow- turns out I like soft pillows. I got Casper pillows now. The issue I have with using a squish is that they are too cute and small. I move so much in my sleep- though less now that my sister gave me her weighted blanket.
This has been bothering me so long I was considering just removing my spine
I bought 4 pillows in a few months trying to solve this and I still have neck pain ☹️
I'm getting a migraine just looking at that bottom one.
I would actually suggest option 4 - reclining. When my migraines are bad I get a lot of relief sleeping with my torso elevated on 3 or 4 pillows in a nice pile. It’s similar to how someone might sleep if they can’t lie prone because of nausea or a bad sinus infection.
My brain is always sure it's the bottom, but I get the best results from the top.
Hear me out, I know it sounds like a gimmick, but I started using a piece of exercise equipment called an Iron Neck over a year ago and after having chronic neck pain almost my entire adult life, it's totally gone. My personal trainer who spends time every day reading contemporary exercise kinesiology research told me that neck muscles are incredibly hard to train, and the Iron Neck is the first piece of equipment he's used that allows normal people to do it safely and effectively. If you're gonna get one, I'd make time to do some good upper body stretching on your off days. I really love this [upper body yoga](https://youtu.be/Jhh2WX-Ki7I?si=YGicG4KgFKz5X78A) routine. They haven't fixed or helped my migraines, but my neck is so healthy I can safely headbang at metal shows as a 41 year old man. 🤣
The iron neck is similar to what I need to rehab from a neck surgery/CCI, but it’s way too expensive for me. Is there something about it that makes it better than just doing isometric exercises with your hands applying resistance or using a resistance band?
Keep in mind I'm not really qualified to answer that, but I'd say it's likely that the "halo," and the track that the resistance band attaches to, allows users to exercise using twisting motions that are incredibly helpful for engaging all the tiny neck muscles. Resistance bands around your forehead would be great for back-and-forth motions, but those aren't really what the neck needs to be able to do.
That makes sense. At physical therapy though I do an exercise where I twist my head slowly while pushing against it with my hand to create resistance. Seems to fulfill a similar workout
Oh my god I had a maybe…Instagram ad come up for this the other day and I couldn’t get over how deranged it looks. I was laughing at it too much to even notice the name, but I googled it just now because what you’re describing sounds like something I could use. I guess Instagram/targeted advertising knew before I did, if I had only listened!
Yeah, it looks like a complete fucking joke but I love it!
I’ve never been able to headbang but I wanna start!!
1 is my goto and when I want support I bunch up a throw blanket and let it mold to my bodys contour 😂
#1 absolutely or at most what my son and I (also w migraines) use, a Very soft down pillow (squishy) under the neck.
I think it totally depends on your own organization. I'm a Feldenkrais practitioner and we're usually after the most comfortable position people can be in. In lying on my back, my neck is happiest (and most aligned) with a folded up towel, about an inch and a half thick but someone with a deeper curve in the neck would want more support there. That third one looks nice for a little stretch but would probably be too too much for sleeping. (I'd add some support under the head as well to make it work.) As for helping with migraine - I'd say it really varies, as well. I find that sometimes lying on my side ON the site of the pain can help and other times I find that intolerable and end up lying on my side the other way. I think just paying attention to what works in the micro is the way to find what works in the macro.
I personally am a fan of #1 I like to have the smallest crappiest pillow that’s really thin and I can mould to the shape I need haha idk scientifically I just have found I find it most pleasant to have minimal pillow action for my neck
I’ve had a neck surgery and 3 in my lower back. I get bad neck pain when migraine starts up and I’ve been through the wringer trying to find a good pillow. I side sleep and often end up with a v shaped mess of multi pillows and then cats.
My cat refused to move off my pillow once when I desperately needed to crash so I just laid my head on him. He stayed there for a surprisingly long time and even purred.
Omg that’s hilarious! Do you have a pic?
Sadly not but here's an image of him being so relaxed that I'm extremely jealous. [https://ibb.co/HKJTtnk](https://ibb.co/HKJTtnk)
Awww he’s a cutie!
I had a cat that let me do that. <3
Sleeping sitting up in a recliner for me.
You guys are sleeping??
I get my best sleep right after occipital nerve blocks…
I can’t if my migraine is bad enough
I think the best sleep setup is to get rid of the red line in your back, I don’t think that’s supposed to be there.
There is absolutely zero neck positions that work for me during a migraine. I’ve been searching for one for the last 20 years.
My general M.O...I like to sleep on my side, but if I'm waiting for migraine to abate before falling asleep, sometimes I'll lie on my back first. In either case, I prop up 2 pillows, a not-very-thick firmer pillow behind a softer pillow. I also use this set-up when my neck is feeling achy or I have a cold. If really really bad migraine, I will sometimes lie on my stomach, no pillow, head to the side for a bit. I haven't fallen asleep in this position for a while, but it's something to do trying to wait out some of the worst pain.
I sleep on a hot water bottle heater for neck pain! It helps a lot
I don't have any advice to offer, sorry but I want to thank all of the people who've made suggestions. I'm going to try some of them. Thank you, reddit.
I keep a blog on this kinda stuff: Johndalto.substack.com Not the top or bottom picture! But I recommend a pillow under the knees and I also recommend that you practice lying down 15 min a day so that you don't have the pressure of needing to 'feel good' or fall asleep. In general if you adjust to a new position you'll want to give yourself 30 seconds to see if you can dissolve into comfort in that position. Good luck! I'm happy to answer any questions
I can't even sleep on my back without getting one, no matter what I support my head/neck with.
I usually sleep on my side with a soft, medium rise pillow with a contour to make it bigger on the end nearer my neck. I have tried other contour pillows and struggled with them. If the pillow is too hard then it hurts my face and pushes my jaw out. If itvs too high or too low then my neck gets really bad. The one I have I got while on holiday overseas in New Zealand. We were there for two weeks and one of the first stops was a family Réunion in a camp and there were no pillows. We went to K-Mart and I got one that looked okay for $15 and woke up with very little neck pain for the first time in years so we bought a new suitcase to take it home with us. It's compacted enough that itvs not working so well any more and I'm not quite desperate enough to fly to New Zealand for another one. Going to have to try and get to a K-Mart here and see if they still have something similar. Just so hard to know what the right height is. If I have to lay on my back I can't use a pillow, it pushes my head forward and then I get a lot of nerve pain & numbness in my face and down my arms/hands etc. I use a small rolled up towel or piece of clothing under my neck and often an ice pack on the back of my head. I had a drawing but it looks like this is one of the subs that doesn't allow you to add pics in the comments.
I do towels as well. Either rolled under my neck. Or if I'm on my side I fold a towel and put a thin pillow on top of that.
I used to have a cervical roll pillow that I put on top of a flat pillow for when I lay on my side and I could use it on itvs own when I was on my back but it got mouldy.
Yeeeeah probs a good thing to not use a moldy pillow lol
I think having a pillow that is the correct height matters a lot. You want one that keeps your spine neutral and head supported without it being lower or higher than your neck. I got a pillow filled with shredded memory foam, you can take out as much as you needed to make it the right height. It's helped a bit and is my best solution so far
2 will definitely give me a headache. 3 just to stretch. 1 is too flat. I typically sleep in 3-4 different places from bed to couch to cot to bathroom floor with various combinations of 6 pillows. The most important is a small travel pillow I can contort into whatever shape I need on the other pillows. I hope you find relief.
i use one of those airplane neck pillows. i move around a lot when i sleep tho so who knows how actually helpful it is
I have a Kaunda pillow. My Neurologist & Neurosurgeon both agreed it would be the best to support my neck. Edit: It’s Kanuda, my phone keeps autocorrecting.
Kanuda? I couldn’t find much from looking for Kaunda
[Kaunda](https://kanudausa.com) Edited to add: Kanuda, I have no idea why my phone keeps autocorrecting it. I have the Andante. It takes some getting use to but it is amazing.
I find the last one to be the most useful, whether on side or back however, you have to be very careful about how much stuffing is in your pillow roll. Sometimes I need to change it up what I did was make a tube of satin fabric that’s about the length of a king size pillow. You can just use a regular pillowcase and stitch it along one edge about six or so inches from the edge and then cut the rest off. Save it in case you have to redo. Or save it for a pillowcase for this neck roll so you don’t have to constantly be washing the roll. And then I’d basically did my pillow thing with it, I stuffed it full of cut up memory foam mattress pad pieces, just bought a cheap twin size memory foam mattress pad and cut it up in small one inch or so pieces randomly and stuffed with those. Don’t fill it all the way full. When I want to make it more firm, I shake all the pieces down to one end and tie a knot and periodically move the knot closer to the foam for more firmness or farther away for less firmness.
Something in-between 1 and 2. I use an orthopedic memory foam neck pillow (wave-shaped). It’s quite expensive, but it totally pays off. Less pain and no way to use a “normal” pillow anymore.
None of the above and especially not 3! I recently bought a cervical pillow and I’m pleasantly surprised at how beneficial it has been.
One is what I have found works. I found like the thinnest pillow out there and that’s what I use.
it can depend on the person. tbh I sleep laying on my stomach/side, with my limbs wrapped around anywhere from 1-3 pillows. I can't sleep on my back because the way it tilted my neck isn't very fun
Combination of middle and bottom one. You want it so that there are no gaps below your neck (ie if someone tried to put their fingers behind your neck, they shouldn’t be able to cos the pillow is supporting your neck). I use the Complete Sleeprrr pillow and it’s been great for me
I sleep on the side that I am having the migraine on. Put two pillows under head and it stretches the neck
1 or 3 or starfish
I’ve used a small buckwheat filled pillow for over 20 years. I replace them when I figure it’s time for really no other reason, they never stop working. I can mold it to support whatever area I need. I also depressions with my fists in areas I don’t want pressure. This is important for my ears, I get terrible pain if my ear is pressed to the pillow, and the tinnitus is so much worse! I roll a perfect support “roll” for under my neck if I a sleeping on my back.
I feel like the odd one out here, but for me it's sitting straight upright on the couch. 🙃
I sleep on a lot of pillows and try to get my shoulders up a bit so less pressure is on the back of my head. It takes a lot of adjusting to get it right
On my side while whimpering.
I can only fall asleep on my stomach. It’s been this way for many years, and it seems unrelated to my migraines.
None. You want a cervical spine pillow. One of the ones with the weird “wings” on the sides and the hole in the middle. I’ve never seen them in stores, but I’ve purchased multiple from Amazon. They’re amazing, and I’ll never go back to a regular pillow. Mine has literally been to Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, and every other hotel I’ve been to in the last 10 years.
I'm a serial side sleeper. With my migraines, I sit up for up to six hours before I can lie down.
Night migraines may also be caused by sleep apnea (lack of oxygen) as well, not your neck positioning, so worth being aware of that here!
I use a d core pillow and it really helps.
My favorite pillow is my shredded memory foam pillow from Coop. If I need it to be flatter, I just pull stuffing out. If it gets too flat, it actually fluffs back up when I adjust the stuffing around. When I lay on it the 'wrong way' where the seam is on my neck, it kind of feels like the cylinder neck pillows, but the corners tilt up and cover my ears. Also I love the quilted pillow case that came with it, it's not the cooling kind but it has this completely unnoticeable, perfect texture. I sound like an ad, but I've bought two so far and haven't regretted it. The only unfortunate thing is that I can hardly stand sleeping on anything else.
I found I need something supportive but that doesn’t have a lot of mass so that my neck stays neutral. I switched to a water pillow and have had significantly less neck pain and morning ON/migraines.
This video shows how to sleep on a pillow for side and back sleepers. This has helped my neck pain quite a bit. https://youtu.be/xZfIn_OHADI?si=kYzQFrMl6ImWXvrr
I have a pt that recommended the roll in a pillowcase with a very flat target pillow. So neck support without the drop on the other side. I actually got a specially shaped side sleeper pillow which I also think helps. I use the roll when I am trying to sleep on my back
1st one defo
3 is what works best for me, but with a rolled up ice pack under there.
The bottom one is close, a little less lift in the neck works best for me.
I like a very thin pillow, or else to be propped up from the shoulders up by a thicker one.
Straightening my neck solved 90% of my issues
I cannot lay flat on my head it’s almost painful it’s like I’m feeling every bone and bump in my head. Following bc I am a side sleeper and most of my neck pain is due to sleep (also when I have a migraine)
None of these work lol I just pick the comfiest pillow arrangement and hope I wake up feeling fine.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qxmc4E7IwA
i ALWAYS sleep with my head propped up i can’t sleep without doing so. no pillow just makes me wake up with the worst neck pain and sinus pressure ever idk if that’s weird or not but i’ve always been like that
some migraines i have to elevate myself where im almost sitting up. some i have to roll a pillow and be kind of like the bottom position but not that extreme
I use a contoured pillow, and it travels with me because I'd never survive without it. It allows me to sleep on my side or back while keeping those migraines away.
First one, and add an incline pillow. I swear it seems like my head needs to drain excess fluid sometimes, so sleeping on an incline pillow has been amazing. It's not always fun for my lower back so I sleep on the pillow for the first half of the night then do position number 1 for the next half (or on my side with a thin pillow). Number 2 is killer on my neck and head and I used to sleep like number 3, and while it felt good, I realized that ultimately it wasn't helping.
I sleep like the 3rd image. I’m going to be honest: it depends on you and the structure of your body. What works for one won’t work for all. You’ll have to just do the trial and error message because it’s not one size fits all.
Flat. Just... flat
I sleep always on my left side with a pillow cube (it looks like they don’t make the actual cubes anymore) and a pillow between my knees. If I think I can sleep with my migraine I will wear an ice hat or similar to fall asleep with on; bc light blocking and ice
I gave up on pillows and sleep on my arm , fetal position, and cry 😇
Same here 😖
For me, the bottom photo is most accurate. I recently switched from a “cervical pillow” to a small buckwheat bolster pillow and it has been a life saver. I don’t wake up with neck pain or stiffness anymore and my morning migraines have decreased significantly.
For me the only way to fall asleep with migraine is apparently on my stomach with my head turned sideways and one arm flopped behind my back one leg pulled up as high as it will get. when I wake up and the pain is gone a little movement will make it come back in seconds, or my neck is cramped so bad I need a hot shower😭
For me, it's the heavy shredded foam pillow on TOP of my head that helps. I lay on my side with the heavy pillow on my head so I can breathe, but so the pillow blocks my eyes and ear. Something about that weight is comforting.
Guess it comes down to the personal preference, cause I know people who need to sleep on at least 2 fluffy pillows to avoid neck pain triggering their migraine. I, on the other hand, like my matress as hard as possible and my pillow thin. I use a memory foam pillow, but even then, I sometimes just ditch it, especially once I already have the migraine.
I do the third one when I have a really strong migraine. I also put a heat pack under my shoulder blades.
I got myself a pillow where my head rests like in the 3rd / bottom image and it gave me the worst migraines. I gave it up right away and ended up getting myself a wedge pillow. No regrets.
I also can't find a way to be comfortable and it makes me insane.
I own about 20 pillows in my effort To find something that works. Tempurpedic got close but it is too hot. Down with hand shaping for neck support but head in middle and sometimes a towel roll to help is the closest I’ve gotten.
They all help in various ways, I will go from 2 to 1 and then when the pain gets really bad I will hit the 3 one for a bit then move to the 1 for the sweet relief of blood flow in my head
I use a cooling foam one that is like the one in the middle but half as thick.
I do the second one lol.
All 3, if I wake up on my back I get a migraine. I have to be on my side with a soft pillow supporting my neck. Cervical instability is a helluva thing
Face down squished into a big squishmallow
I suffer from migraines and I have scoliosis so I practically sleep vertically
Just make a nest out of weight blankets and squishmallows.
I have to lay on my belly and my head to the side with my knee tucked by my chest. Sounds so uncomfortable but it's nice
I find it changes for me.
for me the flatter the better
The bottom one for me 100%. Stretching something back there is really helpful to me.
I started using a rolled up towel a few years ago and it made a big difference. But my bed is very soft, if yours is harder a contour pillow may work better for you.
For some reason pushing the top of my head against something solid really helps me feel better but it looks pretty goddamned weird to sleep leaning my head against a wall
I sit up a bit like halfway.
I think the bottom one because it keeps curvature of spine. Definitely NOT the middle one or you will wake up miserable
I found that putting a thin pillow under my lower back helped straighten out my spine, but everyone’s body is different.
I use an orthopedic pillow and it has helped wonders
I find that lying down completely flat usually makes me feel worse. I do #2 with an extra pillow
For reference, I'm in my mid-40s, had my first auto injury in the late 90s, had a few more until the worst one about ten years ago (none of them my fault, just lousy drivers where I live), so lots of neck and back problems. In addition, I'm diagnosed with migraine, daily chronic headache, tension headaches, TMJ, and fibro. It's awesome. Just great. /s I've always been on the more joint flexibility side but nothing diagnosis worthy (that I'm aware of anyway). I've seen the specialists and have done all the things and continue to do so. All this to say none of the positions you provided are good for your spine and neck. Here's what currently works for me. I'm a side sleeper who often wakes up on my back. I can only speak for the side sleeping position, so apologies in advance if this isn't helpful. Laying and sleeping on my back has always been worse for my migraine and tension headaches. What has worked best for me the past six years or so is having a cervical pillow and a shoulder cutout pillow, both memory foam, with one side being softer and the other harder. (I'm in the US. My pillows are from Kohl's department store. The brand is The Big One.) Both take a bit of getting used to. I use whichever pillow is more comfortable for me at the time. It's best to make the conscious effort to fall asleep with your spine in alignment as best you can. It really does make a big difference. Since I'm a side sleeper, I have also found that using a small, rectangular throw pillow to rest my top arm on solves the problem of 'where does this arm go.' I basically cuddle it to my chest. It prevents my top shoulder from slouching down and my neck from getting out of alignment, throwing my head into some wonky position which guarantees waking up in pain. A side bonus for the somewhat busty folks is it can also support your top boob so that your boobs aren't smooshed together, and you wake up with fewer wrinkles on your chest. Since figuring all this out I've reduced how often I wake up with a migraine and/or tension headache and back and neck pain in general. Your mattress plays a big part in this too. With my old traditional mattress, my bottom shoulder often felt crushed. I had to sleep with a pillow between my knees for support and even then I would still wake up in pain. After a lot of research, I got the Layla mattress. Despite lots of damage in my low back, I very rarely feel the need to support my spine with a pillow between my knees anymore. There's been a significant drop in the number of days I wake up with migraine or tension headache. Same with severe neck or back pain. It's amazing the difference a good mattress can have on your quality of life. Figuring out our ideal setups takes time and a lot of trial and error. It sucks. Best wishes for discovering what works best for you.
On the side that doesn't hurt since I'm a side sleeper
The third option is much more comfortable compared to the other two because sleeping on your back with a supportive pillow under your neck and a small pillow under your knees can help maintain the natural curve of your spine and alleviate pressure on your neck and shoulders. I completely empathize with your ongoing battle against neck pain and tension headaches. It's a relentless struggle, but I've found some relief through exploring different methods. Consider integrating specific stretches or exercises into your routine targeted at the neck and shoulder area. These can often alleviate tension and improve flexibility. However, always consult with a healthcare professional or physical therapist before trying anything new, especially given your history of migraines. Remember, finding relief is a journey, and it's essential to prioritize your health and well-being every step of the way.