Having a stiff neck can make performing daily tasks uncomfortable and painful. Neck pain can disrupt your ability to drive, exercise and sleep. Common causes of neck pain are ergonomics, sleeping in an awkward position and fatiguing your muscles over the years. Soothe away your pain naturally by beginning every morning and ending each day with neck stretches. If you experience continual or severe neck pain, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Neck Pull
Begin by sitting in a cross-legged position, also known as Indian style. Sit as tall as you can, with your shoulders back and your face forward. Place your fingers from both hands on the sides of your neck, and gently push your neck up toward the ceiling. Start at the bottom of the neck and move fingers up until you reach your head. Lightly massaging your neck up, rather than pushing it up with extreme force. Perform this stretch 10 times.
Neck Rotation
Sit tall with your legs crossed, your shoulders back and your face forward. Place your left fingers on the left side of your lower jaw, and gently push your face to the right. Your face and right shoulder should be parallel to each other. Hold the stretch for a moment before returning to the starting position. Repeat the sequence, rotating to the left. Alternate sides to complete eight times on each side.
Side to Side
Begin sitting in the cross-legged position. Sit tall, with your shoulders back and face forward. Gently bend your neck to your right shoulder. Place your right hand on your head to help you stretch your neck further to the right. Do not bend your neck so far to the side that it becomes painful. Hold the stretch for one minute, breathing in and out slowly. Return to the starting position to repeat the stretch on the left side. Complete the exercise three times on each side.
Front to Back
Begin by sitting in the cross-legged position. Sit up tall, with your shoulders back and face forward. Place your hands on the back of your head to bend your neck gently toward your chest. Hold for one minute before returning to the starting position. The second part of the exercise is to extend your neck slightly back toward your back, bringing your chin is up toward to the ceiling. To help with the stretch, place one hand on your forehead to push back gently into the stretch without causing pain. Hold for one minute before returning to the starting position. Complete the sequence three times.
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