Neck Stretch Pose – Eliza Hayward

by | Exercise and Fitness, Healthy Living, Wellness

It is common to hold most of our tension across the shoulders into the neck. Particularly if your neck is feeling stiff or compressed. Neck injuries and poor posture can be a result of soft tissues shortening. Like all joints they need to be regularly stretched.

Steps

Sit up straight, slightly forward in your chair, and leave a space between you and the back of your seat.

Take a breath in and feel your head directly align over the spine. On your exhale softly drop the right ear towards the right shoulder. Inhaling lengthen to the side of the neck. Let the shoulders remain calm and the facial muscles relaxed.

To enhance this stretch you can bring the same side hand over and across the face to rest on the left temple gently guiding down.

Visualise the tension in the side of your neck unravelling and stay for 5- 8 breaths. Before going straight to the next side take a break to massage the neck and shoulder then repeat.

I personally like letting the chin drop towards the chest to get into the back on the neck (deeper into the forehead).

Contraindications

Take care if you have any neck injuries, and always stretch gently.