How to sleep with pinched nerve in neck?

I literally have to move my whole upper body like a robot just to look at my phone. Sleeping on my back with rolled-up towels on both sides of my head to stop it from tilting is my current sad reality.

I woke up with this sharp neck pain shooting down my shoulder yesterday. Is it okay to use a hot water bag on the neck, or will heat make the pinched nerve inflammation worse?

Trying to enjoy my late-night biryani while dealing with a stiff neck is the hardest thing I've done! I found that sleeping strictly on my back with a rolled towel under my neck curves helps, so I can rest well and eat comfortably the next day.

My fitness tracker showed my sleep quality dropped to 40% when my neck pain started. I fixed it by switching to a back-sleeping posture and placing a cylindrical neck roll pillow under my neck, which brought my deep sleep cycle back to normal.

Due to my high BP, I try to avoid stressful sleep positions that cause tension headaches. I make sure my neck is fully supported and not bent at an awkward angle, and I keep my evening walks regular to maintain good circulation.