You may have a stiff and achy neck, headaches, cheek pain, pain around the eye, neck pain at the base of the neck, and pain on top or at the back of the head. All of these can be caused by sleeping with the head turned causing stretched neck and shoulder muscles, sleeping on the stomach, inadequate head support while reading in bed, elevated shoulders, forward head posture or even stress.
A stiff and achy neck may be a muscle knot in the Trapezius, a large muscle bundle that extends from the back of the head and neck to the shoulder.
Sleeping with the head to one side or even stress can create head pain from the Suboccipital, a group of muscles at the base of the skull.
Pain on the side of the neck is often connected to tightness in the Lower Splenius Cervicis, a muscle in the back of the neck.
Pain around the eye, jaw or tooth pain may originate from the Temporalis, a group of muscles located on each side of the head, at the temples.
Pain at the back of the head may be caused by the Semispinalis Cervicis, the largest muscle mass located in the back of the neck, running through the upper six thoracic vertebrae.
