Sleeping with the window open
I live in an apartment with no air conditioning. To counteract sweltering summer days, I open all my windows at night in hopes of trapping and keeping some cool air. The problem is, when the temperature drops to its lowest, around 3 a.m., our muscles stiffen and can even cramp, leading to that tightening that I woke up with. This becomes a problem when muscles tighten while we’re twisted into an odd position. We otherwise might wake up without ever realizing what strange positions we’d twisted ourselves into, but if the cold finds us at the right time, our muscles will be reminding us for the first few hours of the day.
Putting It Back in Place
Though it’s really just a matter of waiting for those little neck muscles to loosen up, we can do a few things to ease the a.m. pain when it’s too late for prevention. Pain relievers like ibuprofen can alleviate the pain and reduce any swelling, as does icing and/or heating for about twenty minutes. Anything lasting more than a few days and you should definitely see a doctor. Massages are also always great for loosening up tension, so a bribe to your bedmate could work here, too. If he or she refuses, some gentle neck and back stretching can get blood flowing to the area and prevent future stiffness, too.
Me? I’ll be working on that massage.
