How To Relax And Keep Your Shoulders Down While Sleeping

Written by Dr. JoAnn Giesenhaus

Do you know what position you sleep in? Sleep posture matters more than you think, especially if you’re snoozing with shoulders hunched by your ears.

How To Keep Your Shoulders Down While Sleeping

1. Improve Your Your Sleeping Position

Start by switching to sleep positions that promote relaxed, lower shoulder placement.

Back sleeping is the best position for a comfortable night's rest.

In this position, sleep on your back with your arms relaxed at your sides. It’s perfect for a restful night without straining your neck or spine.

2. Try An Ergonomic Memory Foam Pillow

You can also add supportive or specialised pillows to your nighttime routine.

An ergonomic or  memory foam pillow offers extra support and pain relief, allowing you to embrace a better sleeping posture without hard work.

Memory foam pillows provide many benefits, including pressure point relief, improved sleep quality, and scientific spinal alignment.

Just make sure you know how to sleep on a memory pillow before you start using one!

3. Try Shoulder Stretches & Exercises

If you've been sleeping on your shoulders for years, you can also relax your shoulders through stretching and exercises before you sleep.

Tension-relieving exercises can reduce overall stiffness caused by incorrect sleeping patterns (Healthline, 2018), making you feel more comfortable in bed.

Pair these with an aligned sleeping position for the best results.

4. Put Everything Together

Don’t pick one or two! Optimise your health with a mix of all the tips to beat hunched shoulders while sleeping.

Combining a healthy sleeping posture, professional pillows and bedding, and shoulder exercises will give you better sleep hygiene and a more comfortable and deeper night of sleep.

Is Sleeping With Arms Above Your Head Bad?

Yes, sleeping with your arms above your head can cause problems. This position often puts your shoulders, neck, and upper back out of alignment, leaving those areas unsupported. Over time, it can lead to stiffness, tingling, or pain.

For healthier sleep, try to avoid keeping your arms raised overhead. Instead, aim for a position that keeps your shoulders relaxed and your spine supported, reducing unnecessary strain on your body.

When To See A Medical Professional

If you’re dealing with persistent or worsening shoulder pain, it’s important to seek help from a healthcare professional.

However, if your pain lasts longer than two weeks, limits your movement, or causes numbness, you should get medical attention right away.

Conclusion

If you’ve been sleeping with your arms overhead or with hunched shoulders, it may be time to rethink your position. Small changes to how you sleep can make a big difference in preventing aches and setting yourself up for deeper, more restorative rest.

Want better sleep now? The Original Groove memory foam pillow is here to relieve pain and improve your sleep hygiene.

Or keep learning about healthy sleep habits. Read more on the Groove blog.

About The Author

Dr. JoAnn Giesenhaus is a dedicated chiropractor with over 20 years of experience, committed to helping people achieve vitality and live life to the fullest.

An expert in Corrective Care Programs, utilising advanced technology like Posture Screen, Sit Screen testing, Motion Study X-Rays, Arthrostim, and Vibracussor for gentle, effective spinal adjustments.

References

• Cary, D., Jacques, A. and Briffa, K. (2021). Examining relationships between sleep posture, waking spinal symptoms and quality of sleep: A cross sectional study. PLOS ONE, 16(11), p.e0260582. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260582.
• Chattu, V., Manzar, Md., Kumary, S., Burman, D., Spence, D. and Pandi-Perumal, S. (2018). The Global Problem of Insufficient Sleep and Its Serious Public Health Implications. Healthcare, 7(1), p.1. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare7010001.
• Healthline. (2018). Tight Shoulders: 12 Stretches for Fast Relief and Tips for Prevention. [online] Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/tight-shoulders.
• ‌Zenian, J. (2010). Sleep position and shoulder pain. Medical Hypotheses, 74(4), pp.639–643. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2009.11.013.