I have very similar issues (they believe it’s a disc issue at C6-C7 with some nerve pinching also at C5...getting imaging soon). I would lay in bed at night after taking a muscle relaxer and feel my spasming neck muscles jerk my head from side to side uncontrollably until the medicine would finally kick in. But then as soon as I’d wake up, they’d be right back at it.
My dr actually recommended this neck brace. I was super skeptical at first, but she sent me an Amazon link and told me to try it for a day or two and to try sleeping with it. It has been a GODSEND. I’m getting some neck pain relief for the first time after a decade of it, it helps me have better posture when on my computer or looking at my phone, and it IS comfortable enough to sleep in (either with no pillows or on my back on a normal relatively flat pillow with the pillow under my shoulders and head, not just my head). Also works for sleeping on your side, but I’m more of a back sleeper.
I recommend the “Comfort” version of the brace in medium. I didn’t think it would be stiff enough or big enough (based on my measurements) to make a difference, but it really has. It’s especially comfortable to put it on and lean your head back while sitting. The brace cradles your head and there’s zero pressure on your neck muscles!
The few times I’ve felt pain and thought “this thing is annoying and I don’t know if it’s working,” I’d take it off and WOOSH the pain would come back so intensely. So that tells me it’s working!
I can get a neck brace for about $15 on Amazon. Funny how they never seem to have any real evidence that someone actually had the condition to begin with. The guy seemed to have pretty good mobility of his head before the "healing" based on how his head was moving around when the preacher guy was slapping it.