How to Sleep with a Pinched Nerve

Co-authored by Ashley Mak, DPT

A pinched nerve can be extremely painful, which can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep. You might have a hard time finding a comfortable position, dealing with the pain, or just winding down and falling asleep. There are several things that you can do to make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep if you have a pinched nerve.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Finding a Comfortable Position

1
Use a firm mattress. A firm mattress will support your body better, which may prevent your body from folding in on the nerve and making it hurt more. If your bed does not have a firm mattress, then you might consider sleeping on your sofa or in a recliner for the night.
- You can also place a few boards under your mattress to increase the firmness and prevent it from sagging. Another option is to put your mattress on the floor until you have recovered from your pinched nerve.
2
Lay on your back for neck pain. If you are having neck pain from a pinched nerve, then try laying on your back. You can use pillows under your neck and knees to keep your spine as straight as possible. This position should help to alleviate some of the pain caused by the pinched nerve.
- Make sure your pillow is at the right level. Sometimes, flexing the neck can reduce pain. Some people will then begin using thicker pillows. Avoid this at all cost since this will also shorten the muscles in the front of the neck. Instead of raising the pillows, it may be better to raise the head of the bed, which is describe below.
EXPERT TIP

Ashley Mak, DPT
Physical Therapist
Ashley Mak is a Physical Therapist and the Owner of Ashley Mak Performance and Rehabilitation, his physical therapy business based in Hoboken, New Jersey. He is also the CEO of Hudson River Fitness and an Adjunct Professor at Kean University. With over seven years of physical therapy experience, Ashley specializes in both pain management and maximizing physical performance. He received his BA in Biology from Villanova University in 2010 and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from Thomas Jefferson University in 2012.

Ashley Mak, DPT
Physical Therapist

Expert Trick: When you have a pinched nerve, it's important to find any position that will reduce the intensity or the type of pain you're experiencing, whether that's laying on your stomach, your side, or your back. Once you find something that's comfortable, create a barrier with pillows so you don't move out of that position in your sleep.

Advertisement
3
Try a side sleeping position for sciatica pain. Your sciatic nerve extends from the lowest part of your back into your hips and buttocks, and down through your legs. When this nerve is pinched, it can cause pain and numbness in one leg or side of your lower back, hips, or buttocks.^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Sleeping on your side can help when sciatica is the cause of your pain.
- If sleeping on your side feels comfortable, then lay on your side and bring your top leg up towards your chest. Use pillows to support the leg and make yourself as comfortable as possible. Putting a pillow between your knee can make your side sleeping more comfortable. ^{[2]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Choose the side that is most comfortable for you.
4
Raise the head of the bed. Elevating the head of your bed may also provide some relief. If you are able to raise the head of your bed, try it and see if that feels more comfortable than laying flat on your back. If so, then you may want to try sleeping in this position.
- Keep in mind that it is best to raise the entire head of your bed rather than to rely on pillows. You can raise up the head of your bed by about 6 to 9 inches by placing cement blocks or some sturdy wood under the upper legs of your bed. This strategy is also helpful if you deal with nighttime heartburn or GERD as well.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- If you cannot raise the head of your bed, then you might also try a wedge pillow or try placing a few pillows under your back to elevate your upper body.
5
Position your arm carefully. If you have a pinched nerve in your wrist or arm, then you will need to position it in a comfortable way. One option is to sleep on your back with the affected arm or wrist propped up on a pillow.
- If you prefer to sleep on your side, then you can lie on your unaffected side and place a pillow in front of you to cradle your arm or wrist.
- Do not sleep on the arm that is affected by the pinched nerve because this can make the condition worse.^{[4]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}
6
Wear a brace if you have one. It may be necessary for you to wear a brace or a splint to keep the area around the pinched nerve from moving. This is common with a pinched nerve in your wrist. If your doctor has advised you to wear a brace or splint, then make sure that you wear it at night as well.^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- You should limit wearing a brace to only at night. Avoid wearing it during the day to allow your muscles to get movement and exercise. Keeping your neck stiff will reduce muscle endurance and ultimately make your neck muscles weak.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Easing Your Pain

1
Use over-the-counter painkillers as needed. Taking an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine may also make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Try taking some ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen to help with the pain from your pinched nerve and make it easier for you to fall asleep.^{[6]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Make sure that you read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions before taking any OTC pain medicine.
- If your doctor has prescribed painkillers for you, then make sure that you take these exactly as directed.
2
Take a warm shower before bed. Taking a warm shower before you go to bed can help to relax your muscles and may help to relieve some of the pain from the pinched nerve. Try taking a warm shower right before you go to bed to help soothe and relax the nerve.
3
Try a heating pad. You may also want to apply a heating pad to the affected area to provide some relief. You can use a heating pad for up to 20 minutes at a time over the area of your pinched nerve. Try using a heating pad right before bed to provide some soothing relief before you go to bed.
- Remove the heating pad after 20 minutes to prevent it from burning your skin or causing tissue damage.
- You may even want to consider getting a heating pad that has a timer, just in case you fall asleep with the heating pad on.
4
Apply an ice pack. Ice works best on new injuries, which tend to swell up. You can apply an ice pack to the affected area to help numb it and reduce inflammation. Use an ice pack for no more than 20 minutes at a time.
- Make sure that you wrap the ice pack in a towel before applying it to your skin. Do not apply ice directly to your skin.
- Give your skin a break from the ice pack after 20 minutes to prevent frostbite and tissue damage.
5
Ask about corticosteroid injections. If the pain from your pinched nerve keeps you awake at night, then you may want to ask your doctor about corticosteroid injections. Your doctor can administer a corticosteroid injection to help reduce inflammation and swelling around your pinched nerve.^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Winding Down for Sleep

1
Turn off all devices. Computers, televisions, cell phones, and other devices can make it harder for you to wind down and fall asleep. These devices can also affect the quality of your sleep.^{[8]
X
Research source} Try to turn off all of these devices at least 30 minutes before you plan to go to bed.
- Avoid watching television in bed, reading in bed, or doing anything else that might activate your mind. Your bedroom activities should be limited to sleep and sex.
- Another strategy to use for your computer is using software that adjusts the light on your computer based upon the time of day.
2
Dim the lights. Dimming the lights in your bedroom will help to send the signal to your brain and body that it is time for sleep. Make sure that the lights in your home are turned down low about 30 minutes before bedtime.
- It is best to make your room as dark as possible when you go to sleep, but you can have a dim light if needed. Try plugging in a night light or using a flameless candle to provide some soothing dim light in your bedroom.
- If your room gets a lot of light from outside sources, then you can try using light blocking curtains or wear a sleep mask.^{[9]
  X
  Research source}
3
Play some soothing music or white noise. Music can help you to relax and start to drift off to sleep as well. If you have a hard time sleeping with music playing, then you might enjoy some white noise instead, such as some rain sounds or the sound of ocean waves crashing on a beach.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- A fan or air purifier will also provide you with some soothing white noise.
- White noise helps to raise the sound threshold so that you will not be startled awake by normal ambient noises, such as a passing car or barking dog.
4
Adjust the temperature. A cool temperature is best for sleeping. Before you go to bed, adjust the temperature in your bedroom so that it is somewhat cool, around 60 to 67°F (15.5 to 19.4°C).^{[11]
X
Research source} You can experiment within this range to see what works best for you.
- If your bedroom gets hot in the summer, you can use a fan or air conditioning unit to cool down your room.
5
Use a relaxation aid to help you sleep. Your pinched nerve pain might have you feeling anxious and stressed and this can make it hard to fall asleep. To help yourself relax, try using a relaxation aid. Some good choices include:
- Deep breathing. Taking slow deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth may also make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Progressive muscle relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation is where you gradually tense and release your muscles, starting with your toes and moving up to the top of your head. This exercise can help you to feel calmer and prepare you for a good night’s sleep.^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Herbal tea. Sipping a cup of herbal tea before bedtime may also help you fall asleep. Some good choices include chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, and herbal blends that have been specially formulated to promote rest and relaxation.