Benefits of Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Tension Blog Post
This is an original blog I wrote for Choice Rehabilitation.
You don’t have to be able to put your feet behind your head anymore to enjoy yoga. Thanks to free online yoga programs, you can appreciate the benefits of this ancient exercise from the comfort of your home—or even at your office desk. And even better—it can help relieve tension developed in your neck and shoulders from working with technology all day! Here are 3 basic yoga stretches and their benefits against neck and shoulder tension:
Neck Tilt
Benefit: According to Yoga International, “Stretching the neck muscles has an immediate effect on your state of mind. Lengthening the larger muscles defuses stress held in the body and helps the whole body to relax. Lengthening and stretching small neck muscles will help quiet the mind and bring on a sense of well-being. This can also help prevent tension headaches.”
How to do it: Sit with your shoulders down, tilt your head one way, and consciously lengthen your neck away from you shoulder. Hold this pose for 3 breaths, and then repeat on the opposite side.
Chin to chest
Benefit: This movement will work against poor posture, stress, and whiplash.
How to do it: Sit tall in a chair or cross-legged on the floor, and slowly lower your chin until it is touching your sternum, making sure to keep your shoulders down. Hold this pose for 2 or 3 breaths, then lift your chin and return it to a neutral position.
Gomukhasana
Benefit: This pose stretches and strengthens muscles deep within your shoulders, which can help relieve any tension you hold there.
How to do it: From a comfortable seat, bring your right arm next to your right ear and your left arm down to your left side. Bend the left arm across your back and up until you are touching between your shoulder blades. Then bend the right elbow so your right fingers reach toward your left hand. If possible, allow the fingers to touch, or otherwise use a strap or a towel to pull lightly with both hands. Stay in this pose for 8 to 10 breaths, and repeat on the other side.
Want to learn more about how to relieve neck and shoulder tension? Contact Choice Rehabilitation today! We specialize in helping you maintain a healthier life and a happier you.