Sleeping with shoulder pain is possible with the right sleep position and a mattress that contours your body and enhances comfort.
There isn’t a universal sleep position that cures shoulder pain, but some positions, like sleeping on your back, reduce pressure on the shoulders. You can also use pillows to change the angle of your shoulders and relieve pain.
Best sleep positions
Shoulder pain can make sleeping well nearly impossible but choosing the right sleep position can significantly enhance your comfort.
- Back sleeping
The first thing to try is sleeping on your back. This will spread the load on your shoulders evenly and keep them in a neutral position.
If sleeping on your back hurts one of your shoulders, you can place a pillow behind one shoulder or between your shoulder blades to arch them upwards.
Arching your shoulders with a pillow can reduce pain when sleeping on your back without sacrificing overall comfort.
- Side sleeping
If you prefer sleeping on your side, always sleep on your non-painful shoulder to alleviate pressure on the injured shoulder.
You might find that you have bad shoulder access anyway. If so, try placing a soft pillow behind you and hugging the pillow with your painful arm—this will reduce the load on your upper shoulder and reduce that aching feeling.
- Front sleeping
This is the only position we strongly recommend you don’t try.
Sleeping on your front can cause pain for all types of shoulder impingement and can increase pain. Rotator cuff injuries are particularly prone to flaring up when sleeping on your front due to your shoulders being forced downwards.
Best mattress for shoulder pain
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all mattress for shoulder pain – but there are mattresses that suit your preferred sleep position and body weight.
Do you prefer back sleeping?
If sleeping on your back alleviates your shoulder pain, consider medium-firm mattresses (between 7 and 8 on the firmness scale).
Medium-firm mattresses are perfect for back sleeping because they maintain a neutral spinal arch and shoulder position yet are forgiving enough for side sleeping.
The body weight range for medium-firm mattresses is 150 lbs to 220 lbs, which is perfect for most adults and mixed-weight couples.
Do you prefer side sleeping?
Sleeping on your side requires a medium mattress. These models are between 5 and 6 on the mattress firmness scale.
Medium mattresses are perfect for people who weigh between 130 lbs and 180 lbs because they offer a softer surface to squash into, but not at the expense of support.
Pictured: Sleepeezee Jessica Pocket Spring Mattress. The springs are divided into two layers with different functions. The top layer is composed of smaller springs, offering comfort and ‘fine-tuned’ support.
How about mattress technologies?
Forget what you’ve read – there are only two mattress types:
- Sprung
- Pure foam
Everything else – open coil, pocket spring, hybrid, latex – is a variation of one of these.
For shoulder pain, you should consider pocket spring mattresses with a thick memory or latex foam top layer (5 to 10 cm).
Memory and latex foam contour your body, while pocket springs – or open coils – provide a rigid support system to eliminate sagging.
Pocket springs are the best spring technology, whether they are full-size ‘traditional’ springs or micro-springs, as found in some hybrid mattresses.
You might also be able to reduce pain further by sleeping with your shoulder elevated or at an angle. An adjustable bed can help with this.
Summing up
To reduce shoulder pain in bed, choose a medium or medium-firm mattress to suit the sleep position you find least painful and stick a soft pillow underneath your shoulder or between your arm and body to change its arch. Some trial and error is expected, but most people can manage their shoulder pain and sleep soundly.
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