5 Neck Stretching Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Are you suffering from frequent tension headaches? Most tension headaches are due to poor posture and repetitive movements that put too much stress on the muscles around the neck.

Did you know the human head weighs about 10 lbs? That's a pretty heavy weight to carry around all day. If this weight isn't carried properly, your head is too far forward or back, it can cause undue stress not just on the muscles around the neck and back but also on your spine. This can lead to some serious back problems over time.

Start by carrying your head properly while your sitting or standing. A good visualization technique is to imagine a rope is lifting your head off your spine and upward. This helps to hold your head in the proper position and in correct allignment with the spine.

If you're spending all day sitting in front of a computer, invest some time in setting up an ergonomic work space. Take more breaks and take short walks every 30 minutes or so.

Sitting crouched in front of a TV, Stress, and even laying down or sitting improperly while reading can lead to a tight and inflexible neck.

Aim to add 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. Moving more is a great way to get your blood circulating and relieve pain.

Lastly perform the following neck stretching exercises daily. You can perform these at your desk, while your watching TV or just standing and waiting around somewhere.

Neck Stretch Sit or stand with one arm at side. Draw your belly button in so you're sitting or standing with optimal posture. Use other hand to gently guide ear to shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch down the side of your neck. Hold for 20 seconds. Gently guide your head back to upright position. Repeat on opposite side.

Neck Stretch with Downward Twist Sit or stand with one arm at side. Draw your belly button in so you're sitting or standing with optimal posture. Use other hand to gently guide ear to shoulder and slowly turn your head downward diagonly so that your chin is facing downwards diagnoly. Hold for 20 seconds. Gently guide your head back to upright position. Repeat on opposite side.

Neck Stretch with Upward Twist Sit or stand with one arm at side. Draw your belly button in so you're sitting or standing with optimal posture. Use other hand to gently guide ear to shoulder and slowly turn your head upward so that your chin is facing upwards diagonally. Hold for 20 seconds. Gently guide your head back to upright position. Repeat on opposite side.

Backward Stretch Sit or stand optimal posture. Clasp your hands behind your head and gently lift your back and gaze upwards diagonally. Hold for 20 seconds. Gently guide your head back to upright position.

Forward Stretch Sit or stand optimal posture. Clasp your hands behind your head and gently tuck your chin into your neck by rolling your head downward to look at your chest. Hold for 20 seconds. Gently guide your head back to upright position.

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