Have you just had a broken humerus/shoulder, and you are finding it difficult to sleep in the days following the fracture healing.
Patients who come in x-ray with broken humerus always wonder how best they can sleep with a fractured humerus.
There are few medical studies that give advice on how best to sleep with a fractured humerus.
I will rely on my knowledge and on the few published articles on how best you can manage to have a good sleep with a fractured humerus.
If you have any comments or experience to share. just drop us a line in the comments section below this article.
Happy reading!😃
Last updated: May, 2025. Written by Juliet Semakula, a diagnostic radiographer.
Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate links, full disclosure in the legal section.
▶️Why is it difficult to sleep after a humerus fracture?
People who have had shoulder /humerus fracture normally worry about further injury or waking up with more pain.
And since we do not control the actions of our bodies as we sleep, it’s natural to worry about turning and sleeping positions when you have had a fractured humerus.
Sleeping can be a little uncomfortable if you try to lie on your injured shoulder especially after surgery or treatment.
A study done to investigate sleep disturbances after 3 months follow-up reported 41% sleep difficulties in patients who have had proximal humerus fracture (Shulman 2015)
Here are some of the reasons given, why some people find difficult in sleeping after a broken humerus:
🔵Postoperative pain is associated with poor sleep especially in the beginning stages of fracture healing.
🔵Emotional difficulties rather than pain. Some patients do find it difficult to cope with the injury that can cause them stress leading to poor sleep.
🔵Having reduced arm movement which is often restricted by wearing a sling or brace, may make it uncomfortable to find a sleeping position that allows good sleep.
Research studies by Shulman 2015 which monitored sleep with people who had humerus fractures.
They observed that sleep quality is not necessarily worse among those who had slower recoveries, but it was in those patients who were stressed, anxious or depressed.
Therefore, implementing solutions to reduce stress when you think it’s affecting your sleep and recovery is very important.
Shulman, 2015
▶️Sleeping better with a humerus fracture: Any specific solutions.
I have seen this question being asked by many people who have had humerus fracture, unfortunately, after thoroughly reviewing medical scientific studies, I have not found anything of the sort.
There’re of course some fundamental steps which you can consider, that may help you make your sleep comfortable.
Remember the primary goal is to limit shoulder, humerus and elbow movements to facilitate healing. Which is achieved through rest and wearing a brace or sling
Specific solutions:
🟠Pillow support under your arm and back
A pillow tucked along your back helps to prevent you rolling onto your injured shoulder in the night.
A pillow in front of your tummy is a nice place to rest your hand to help you sleep.
If sleeping on your back, use a pillow under the elbow of your injured arm as shown.
You might also consider a semi-reclined position with pillows to elevate your head and upper body. You can see on Amazon some samples of different pillow support.
🟠Changing sleeping positions for example Side sleeping
You can sleep on your side, lying on your opposite side and use a pillow behind your arm to prevent rolling onto your injured shoulder.
Side sleeping can improve pain and improve overall health, some people claim to have better sleep when they sleep on their side.
🟠Wear a sling (if prescribed) or wear a tight-fitting t-shirt.
Yes, it’s important to wear a sling, even when sleeping, after a humerus fracture unless you have not been prescribed one. There are so many different shoulder slings on the market, you can see some samples on Amazon.
Most people prefer to wear it at night as well since it limits arm movement and reduces the risk of being awakened by pain.
If you do not have one you can wear a tight-fitting t-shirt, this will help immobilize the arm and shoulder to minimise movement as you sleep.
You may find it most comfortable to sleep on your back with the sling on, or on your unaffected side with a pillow supporting the injured arm.
Some people find it more comfortable to remove the sling at night and use pillows to support the arm and body.
▶️How do you wear clothes with a humerus fracture?
It is easier to use front button shirts and pull-up trousers with an elastic waistband in the first few weeks.
When dressing put the injured arm into sleeves first and when undressing takes the un-injured arm out first, followed by the injured arm
▶️Can you sleep on your side with a broken humerus
It’s generally not recommended to sleep directly on the side with a broken humerus especially in the first weeks of injury.
However, there is no evidence that sleeping that way could worsen the issue.
So, if it’s not giving you pain and it’s your preferred position for falling asleep, you do not necessarily need to change it.
The pressure on the shoulder won’t worsen the fracture, it’s only repetitive movement and impact that can do that.
However, if it hurts you to sleep on the affected side in the first few weeks after the fracture, Instead, sleeping on the opposite side or your back, with pillows for support, is often preferred.
The goal is to avoid pressure and more pain on the injured shoulder and to ensure the sling is properly supported.
▶️Changing sleeping positions
When we sleep, whether you like it or not, there is a good chance you will automatically change sleeping positions.
In other words, the question is whether there is a preferred position for falling asleep, either at the beginning or during the night if you wake up.
The truth is: the best position for falling asleep is the one that suits you best.so what you feel comfortable when you sleep.
There is no credible scientific study supporting all these recommendations of whether sleeping on your back or side is better.
Having dealt with people who have broken their shoulder /humerus, I have noticed based on their reviews, most people prefer to sleep with their arm in the sling or brace provided by their doctor.
For one reason the sling or brace helps to limit movement and stabilise the injured area which helps to reduce pain and discomfort when sleeping.
Though it may not be the most comfortable thing to wear, it does serve a purpose in maintaining proper alignment and unnecessary strain on the injured arm.
here are some explanations to put the sling correctly.
Images to properly apply a sling in case of broken humerus
▶️Can I take my sling off to sleep?
Generally, it’s recommended to wear your sling while sleeping for the recommended duration unless instructed otherwise by your doctor or physiotherapist.
This helps protect the injured shoulder and prevent it from moving too much during sleep, which can hinder the healing process.
Sleeping on your back with a pillow supporting the injured arm can also be helpful.
▶️How to get out of bed with a broken humerus?
Getting out of bed ,with a broken shoulder can be challenging but there are some steps to help make it easier!
1️⃣Sleep on the uninjured side this will help you getting out of bed on the side closest to your stronger arm
2️⃣Use a bed rail or transfer bar.
3️⃣Slide to the edge: start by sliding your body towards the edge of the bed, keeping your legs extended, using your good arm to help push your body closer to the edge.
4️⃣Roll onto your side, once you are closer to the edge, carefully roll onto your good arm, again use your legs to help with movement.
5️⃣Push yourself up by using your legs to push yourself up into a sitting position, avoiding putting pressure on your injured arm
6️⃣Seek assistance if needed or professional guidance from your physiotherapist.
▶️How to sleep better with pain or without pain when you have a broken humerus?
The overall strategy is to consider a natural sleep rhythm following good sleep hygiene as much as possible as the first step.
If that fails, then consider non-pharmacological approaches before you explore pharmacological approaches (Perrig 2011)
Recommendation for natural sleep steps
🟣Avoid sleeping for too long, especially during the day.
🟣Try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.
🟣Avoid too much physical exercises that make you too tired within hours before bedtime.
🟣Avoid going to bed feeling stressed, upset or nervous. (easier said than done).
🟣Sleep on a comfortable bed and mattress.
🟣Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol drinks before bed.
🟣Make your sleeping environment comfortable for good sleep
Irish, 2015
The question is, do these recommendations work, the answer is we do not know for sure. And there are very few studies that show their effectiveness in real life.
In practice, I think it may be worth trying, if it works for you the better.
▶️Improving sleep without medication
There are different studies on using non-pharmacological approaches to treat pain-related insomnia (Herrero Babiloni,2021)
♦️Behavioural and cognitive therapies are the most well-documented and promising approach.
How does it work:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps individuals understand the relationship between their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. And how these factors impact your sleep. By addressing the negative thoughts and behaviours that contribute to sleep problems.
However, there is a lack of evidence regarding their long-term effectiveness.
All other approaches have been insufficiently studied to make any confident declarations.
▶️Improving sleep with medication
Many experimental sleep deprivation studies have been conducted to clarify the causal relationship between sleep and pain. But these focused on insomnia, there were no studies on humerus fractures.
The study that looked at insomnia related to chronic back pain had this to say:
Here is a summary from research done by Craige et al 2022)
♦️Medication improved sleep in some individuals with chronic back pain
♦️However, its effectiveness was very small, making one wonder if it is genuinely important.
These studies were limited in number, I think the best advice is to try to manage sleep without any medications.
Summary: on optimal sleeping position for a broken humerus, there is no specific scientific evidence regarding the best sleeping position with a broken humerus.
Let your sleeping position be chosen based on your personal comfort and preference.
You can consider using basic sleeping practices, maintain a consistent sleep program and create a comfortable sleeping environment.
Medication based approaches for pain related insomnia do offer slight improvements in sleep based on scientific studies.
If you experience sleep difficulty beyond 6 months after initial fracture treatment, you should be carefully assessed for emotional problems because sometimes fracture injuries can be mentally stressful (Shulman,2015).
We have come to the end of this article, wishing you a quick recovery!🙋
📚Sources:
Shulman BS, Liporace FA, Davidovitch RI, Karia R, Egol KA. Sleep disturbance after fracture is related to emotional well-being rather than functional result. J Orthop Trauma. 2015 Mar;29(3):e146-50. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000000217. PMID: 25072285.
Perrig S, Espa-Cervena K, Pépin JL. Troubles du sommeil et douleur: le bon hypnotique? [Sleep disorder and pain: the good hypnotic]. Rev Med Suisse. 2011 Jun 29;7(301):1414-8, 1420. French. PMID: 21815499.
How to sleep better with chronic pain. Rely on your natural sleep rhythms as much as possible instead of sleep medications and painkillers. Harv Mens Health Watch. 2013 Sep;18(2):5. PMID: 27024724.
Tscharaktschiew N, Ende L, Onderka C. Besserer Schlaf und weniger Schmerzen? Schlaftraining in der orthopädischen Rehabilitation [Better Sleep and Less Pain? Sleep Training in Orthopedic Rehabilitation]. Rehabilitation (Stuttg). 2022 Feb;61(1):35-42. German. doi: 10.1055/a-1509-9247. Epub 2021 Aug 23. PMID: 34425599.
Irish L, Kline CE, Gunn HE, Buysse DJ, Hall MH ,The role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health: A review of empirical evidence, Sleep Medicine Reviews, Volume 22,2015,Pages 23-36,ISSN 1087-0792,
Chang JR, Fu SN, Li X, Li SN, Wang X, Zhou Z, Sabina M. Pinto, Samartzis D, Karppinen J, Wong AY, The differential effects of sleep deprivation on pain perception in individuals with or without chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Sleep Medicine Reviews, Volume 66,2022,101695,ISSN 1087-0792
Herrero Babiloni A, Beetz G, Bruneau A, Martel MO, Cistulli PA, Nixdorf DR, Conway JM, Lavigne GJ. Multitargeting the sleep-pain interaction with pharmacological approaches: A narrative review with suggestions on new avenues of investigation. Sleep Medicine Reviews,Volume 59,2021,101459,ISSN 1087 0792,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101459.