The Best Anti-Wrinkle & Anti-Neck Pain Hacks

Updated on November 11th, 2020
Anti-Neck Pain Hack

One of the surprising causes of wrinkles is simply our sleeping posture. If we sleep on our stomach or on our side, our face might be pressed into our pillow, causing our skin to fold up and form vertical wrinkles.

Since we all spend around 1/3rd of our lives asleep, these “sleep lines” get repeatedly etched and reinforced into our skin over time, like folds in leather shoes. The most acceptable way to prevent these is by sleeping on our back.

How does sleeping with a pillow affect your skin?

Sleeping on our backs is always a great way to sleep. Maintaining the 20-30-degree angle allows better fluid drainage in our body. However, many choose to sleep on their stomach or on the side [1].

This pushes the face into the pillowcases, which has the creams or any product we have used on our face or even bacteria [2]. The best solution is to clean pillowcases regularly, as it can cause rashes or even zits.

Anti-Neck Pain Hack

We all are aware of how painful it is to wake up with a stiff neck. The severe ache makes it near impossible to move the head even the slightest bit. To spend a day with neck pain can be really frustrating, and it makes even the most straightforward task seem challenging [3].

At times, neck pain might also be accompanied by headache, numbness, stiffness, and difficulty while taking food. Often, the pain is either caused due to tension, bad sleeping postures, or bad body postures, or stress [4]. Here are some simple methods to get relief from the terrible neck pain at home:

1. Apply a hot or a cold compress

A cold or a hot compress can also help you to get quick relief from a stiff neck. Compress increases the flow of blood in the neck and relaxes your muscles. It will also support in numbing the pain. Place a cold or hot compress for 15 minutes at a time. Do this at least 3-4 times a day for quick relief.

However, remember that if you are battling extreme pain, sticking with ice as placing a hot compress on a stinging pain can make matters severe.

[Also Read: Heat or Ice to Ease Neck Pain]

2. Soak yourself in warm water

Nothing beats warm water combined with Epsom salt to get rid of the stiff neck. This warm water bath helps to soothe and relax the tightened muscles, while the salt improves blood flow and reduces inflammation.

3. Massage with essential oils

You may gently massage your neck with essential oils for instant relief. Take a few drops of lavender or peppermint oil and mix it with coconut oil. Massage your neck thoroughly with this concoction.

4. Apple cider vinegar

ACV may also be used as a home remedy to treat a stiff neck. The anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants present in apple cider vinegar are believed to relieve muscle pain and stress.

How to use it:

  1. Soak tissue or napkin in some ACV and place it on the neck.
  2. Hold the napkin in the same position for 60 minutes.
  3. Repeat it at least two times a day.

[Also Read: Home Remedies for Neck Pain]

Other tips ​

If you frequently suffer from neck pain, then change your sleeping position. Sleep on your side instead of sleeping on your stomach or back.

  • Change your pillow if you haven’t done it for quite a long time.
  • Incorrect posture may also lead to neck pain. So, keep track of it.
  • Count the time you spend on your smartphone and laptop. It could also be a leading cause of that neck pain.

Train yourself to sleep on your back

One free (and easy) way of training oneself into back sleeping is by using a rolled-up towel under their neck.

A towel rather than a pillow eliminates the possibility of our face pressing against dry cotton overnight. It also evens out any chest wrinkles that can appear when we sleep on our side.

The towel-rolling method

  1. Layout the towel and even out the lumps.
  2. Fold it in halves (shorter side to shorter side).
  3. Go with the short side and begin rolling it up firmly.
  4. Use string or hairbands and tie the ends, so it does not unravel in the dead of night.
  5. Remove the pillow and place the towel where the neck will go.
  6. Lie down on the back, so the towel is supporting the neck.

If the towel is not comfortable, you can experiment with smaller or larger towels or place a low pillow under the head. It should feel snug and solid, pressing at the base of the head.

For individuals with sensitive strands or naturally curly hair, the towel’s harsh fabric should have minimal contact with the hair since it’s only under the neck. If you’re bothered, try sleeping with a head wrap, which also avoids bedhead.

But the true benefit of sleeping with a rolled-up towel under the neck? Minimized risk of neck pain. This makeshift pillow supports the neck as you shift throughout the night. The tighter one rolls it, the harder it’ll be, imitating the relaxing effects of a foam roller without all the pain.

Pro Hack 

If the head just doesn’t stay still on the towel (or it falls apart overnight even when one wraps rubber bands around the ends), opt for a copper or silk pillowcase. 

Bottom Line

Good sleep is always interlinked with healthy skin, but what if it’s doing otherwise! Your sleeping positions can take a toll on your skin and cause wrinkles, acne. The signs can be acne, puffy eyes, and flatter cheek just on one side. The way you sleep truly reflects on your look, and the position can affect the skin.

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