Do these neck exercises to release stress and stiffness
Spending hours glued to our chairs and laptops often takes a toll on our body posture, especially on our neck as its movement becomes restricted. This causes stress, stiffness, and pain that isn't too easy to get rid of. Fortunately, there are some quick and effective exercises that you can do in the comfort of your home or workplace to find some respite.
Chin tuck
This easy exercise relaxes your neck muscles, spine, and shoulders at the same time. Sit straight and comfortably with your feet on the ground. Your shoulders should be back. Now tuck your chin inward without moving or tilting your head backward or forward. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then relax. You can repeat this multiple times but slowly.
Side-to-side turns
If you feel tightness in and around your neck area, this exercise can be of great help. Stand straight, turn your head to the right, and gaze at the right shoulder. Hold it for 10 seconds and then return to the original position. Repeat the same step on your left side and it's done. Five times on each side and you are done!
Forward and backward neck bends
This hack can improve the flexibility and mobility of your neck, thereby helping you get rid of stiffness and stress quickly. All you have to do is, stand straight and keep your head and neck neutral. Now slowly push your head forward without moving your shoulders and then gently bring it backward. Repeat this set of movements 10 times.
Neck rotations
This one is probably the most common and easy neck exercise that you can do anywhere, anytime. Sit or stand straight and keep your arms by your side. Now slowly rotate your neck clockwise five times and feel your muscles relaxing and stretching. Once done, rotate it in the anticlockwise direction five times to counter-stretch the same muscles.
Trapezius muscle stretch
Sit straight with your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders straight. Now gently tilt your head toward the right side and try to touch your ear to the shoulder without moving the latter upward. If not, tilt as much as possible but don't overstretch. Hold for a few seconds, relax, and repeat on the left side. Do multiple reps to feel better.
