Sep 26, 2025
When pain keeps you up at night, quality sleep can feel out of reach. Back, neck, and shoulder pain are some of the most common culprits behind restless nights. But the position you sleep in plays a bigger role than you might realize. The right posture can help align your spine, reduce pressure on sensitive joints, and promote healing, while the wrong one may aggravate pain and stiffness.
Here’s a guide to the best sleep positions for back, neck, and shoulder pain relief—and tips for making them work for you.
Best Sleep Positions for Back Pain
1. On your back with knee support
Lying on your back is often recommended for spinal alignment. Placing a pillow beneath your knees helps maintain the natural curve of your lower back, reducing strain. A small lumbar pillow or rolled towel beneath the small of your back can provide added support.
2. Side sleeping with a pillow between knees
If back sleeping is uncomfortable, try sleeping on your side with a firm pillow between your knees. This reduces rotation in the lower spine and balances the hips, which can help ease back pain.
Best Sleep Positions for Neck Pain
1. On your back with a supportive pillow
Back sleeping is often the best option for neck pain, provided you use a pillow that supports the natural curve of your neck. A cervical pillow or memory foam option can cradle the neck and reduce stiffness.
2. Side sleeping with a pillow at shoulder height
If you prefer side sleeping, choose a pillow that fills the space between your shoulder and ear so your neck remains straight. Too flat or too high a pillow can force your neck into an unnatural angle, increasing discomfort.
Tip: Avoid stomach sleeping, as it twists the neck and can worsen pain.
Best Sleep Positions for Shoulder Pain
1. On your back with arm support
If you have shoulder pain, back sleeping with a pillow under your arm or elbow can help reduce pressure and strain. This position prevents the shoulder from collapsing inward.
2. On the opposite side with a hug pillow
If you can’t avoid side sleeping, lie on the non-painful shoulder and hug a pillow to keep your upper arm supported and reduce compression on the sore side.
Additional Tips for Pain-Free Sleep
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Choose the right mattress: A medium-firm mattress usually offers the best support for spinal alignment.
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Upgrade your pillows: Replace old or sagging pillows that no longer provide proper support.
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Keep a consistent routine: Good sleep hygiene—like winding down before bed and avoiding screens—helps your body rest and recover.
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Use heat or cold therapy before bed: Applying a heating pad or ice pack can relax tight muscles or reduce inflammation.
The Bottom Line
Finding the best sleep position for back, neck, or shoulder pain may take some trial and error. Small adjustments—like using an extra pillow or shifting your posture—can make a big difference in how rested and comfortable you feel. Prioritizing proper support for your spine and joints at night not only improves sleep quality but also promotes healing and reduces pain during the day.
If pain persists or worsens, consult a healthcare provider for personalized advice and treatment.
Oct 30, 2020
Whether as a result of injury or age related wear-and-tear, pain in the neck can be more than just a saying: it can be debilitating.
According to the Mayo Clinic, neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability in the United States. Most episodes of acute neck pain will resolve without treatment, but almost half of the people with neck pain will suffer from recurrent episodes.[i] The good news for these patients is that science and technology are working together to help physicians identify the source of neck pain and offer new options for long-lasting relief.
Identifying the Source of Neck Pain
Advancements in imaging have allowed physicians to get a better look at the intricate details of the spine. This enables them to see the different structures in the cervical spine (neck) more clearly and can help them identify the source of chronic, unresolved neck pain.
Common sources of chronic neck pain include the following:
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis of the spine can lead to degeneration that is associated with the normal wear and tear of joints, discs and bones in the spine as people age. The arthritis can lead to bone spurs that can make movement of the neck painful and create narrowing of the space around the spinal nerves and spinal cord; a condition called spinal stenosis.
- Cervical Facet Joint Dysfunction: The facet joints are the small joints that connect the individual bones in the neck called the vertebrae. These joints allow for movement of the neck and provide stability of the spine. When these joints become inflamed, injured, or get out of alignment, neck pain, stiffness and reduced mobility may result.
- Herniated Discs: The discs are gel filled structures that act as cushion or shock absorbers between the vertebral bones in your spine. They consist of a strong outer layer that protects the disc’s gel-like interior. If the outer layer weakens or tears, the disc may protrude into the spinal canal and affect nearby nerves, causing neck pain, arm pain or muscle spasm.
There are many other causes of neck pain including nerve and spinal cord problems, fracture and non-spine sources like tumor. It is important that your physician perform a comprehensive evaluation of your medical history and physical examination to give you an appropriate diagnosis for your neck pain.
Cellular Treatments that Help Resolve Neck Pain Naturally
Most cases of neck pain can be resolved with physical therapy, activity modification and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. Lifestyle improvements such as maintaining proper posture and avoiding prolonged neck bending from the use of mobile devices (ie., “text neck”) are also helpful.
When neck pain persists, spine specialists can offer a number of options for long-lasting pain relief. Orthobiologics are cells and substances derived from cells that are naturally found in the body and have the ability to heal injured tissues. These cellular products are providing new options for treating stubborn neck pain.
· Platelet Rich Plasma puts the healing properties of the patient’s own blood to work in repairing damaged joints and helping with nerve pain. The platelets in the blood release growth factors and proteins that promote tissue repair, while the plasma carries the hormones, electrolytes and nutrients required to nourish cells during the healing process. PRP treatments should be customized to the particular individual and their injury in order to be effective.
· Cell based therapies use a patient’s own bone marrow or adipose (fat) tissue derived cells. These cells are comprised of adult stem cells and many other healing cells. They produce molecules that direct other cells in the area to form new blood vessels, decrease inflammation, awaken other stem cells and encourage formation of new healthy tissues. Stem cells are special cells that have the unique ability to develop into the specific kind of cell needed, whether that be a tendon, ligament, cartilage or bone cell. Skilled regenerative medicine practitioners use highly specialized processes to prepare these cells that are then delivered directly to the injured area to stimulate healing.
· Prolotherapy (Proliferative Therapy) uses dextrose and other natural substances that are injected into a chronically injured ligament, nerves or joint in order to help the body jump start its own natural healing response.
Applying Proven Treatments to Neck Pain
Regenerative medicine specialists have been using orthobiologics in the past decade with great success to treat other orthopedic conditions, including knee arthritis, back pain, tennis elbow, tendon tears and more.
A select few qualified physicians are now applying their experience to put these powerful sources of healing to work to address neck pain. To ensure maximum safety and efficacy, patients considering orthobiologic treatments for chronic neck pain should take note of the following important points:
- Cells are derived from your own body: Regenerative products that come from your own body (autologous) have been proven to be safe and effective in peer-reviewed research. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently does not allow the use of donor stem cell products derived from amniotic fluid or other fetal tissues to treat orthopedic conditions since they have not been proven in safety and efficacy. These products also pose a risk of disease transmission or immune reaction. Moreover, these donor tissues do not to contain living stem cells, as opposed to what is claimed by the companies that market these products.
- Customized treatment: The best outcomes occur when your own cells and platelet rich plasma are prepared using the most advanced protocols to create a treatment that is customized to your specific injury.
- Targeted delivery: To maximize effectiveness, these regenerative treatments should be delivered under image guidance with fluoroscopy (x-ray) or ultrasound to ensure precise delivery to the injured area. Only physicians with fellowship training in advanced image guided procedures are certified to perform these procedures.
- Expert physicians: If you are considering regenerative medicine for the treatment of your spine condition, seek a board-certified physician who specializes in treating orthopedic injuries and has advanced training in regenerative medicine. These physicians are best suited to obtain the best results employing the latest research, technology and safety protocols.
Since orthobiologic treatments for neck pain are relatively new within the field of regenerative medicine, patients need to ask the right questions and research the appropriate physicians to deliver the best care.
Drs. Christopher J. Rogers and Mary A. Ambach of San Diego Orthobiologics Medical Group together have successfully treated thousands of patients with cell-based therapies for more than three decades. They are published authors and stem cell researchers who were chosen to participate in a first of its kind, FDA-approved clinical trial to treat knee osteoarthritis. The SDOMG facility in Carlsbad contains the most advanced Regenerative Medicine technology in San Diego and offers same day treatments with the highest level of safety, efficacy and patient satisfaction.
[i] https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(14)00833-7/abstract
[ii] https://www.stemcures.com/stem-cell-therapy-for-neck-pain-cincinnati
