Self Care: Stretching the Neck

If I had a nickle for every time I've heard, "I've got allot of tension in my neck and shoulders," I'd...well, I'd have allot of nickles, that's for sure. We store so much stress in our neck and upper shoulders, especially if we are heavy computer users (or work with our hands, or carry a child around allot, or...the list goes on and on.) It's really important to keep the neck muscles flexible. It not only feels good to stretch them, but it can help prevent or relieve neck pain and headaches caused by muscle tension.

Allot of times, you see people stretching their neck by rotating their head around in a circle, but this is not always the safest option. It can aggravate neck injuries, and as it's really easy to stretch too far with this method you could even create a new one.

When I stretch my neck, I like to imagine that my head is smack dab in the middle of a compass. North is right in front of me, east is my right shoulder, south behind me, and west my left shoulder. I usually sit in a chair with a low back, close my eyes and take a nice deep breath. As I exhale, I slowly let my chin drop towards my chest (towards north.) As my head lowers, I'm aware of the stretch in the back of my neck and I am conscious not to stretch to far. If I feel pain, I let up a bit. I take another breath and return my head to center with the exhalation. I then follow this process for the east point on the compass, bringing my right ear towards my right shoulder. I can feel the stretch on the left side of my neck and upper shoulder and I'm conscious not to let my right shoulder "help" by lifting up to touch my ear. I then take another breath and return to center. I repeat that for both the south and west points. If I'm feeling really tight, I'll incorporate the in between points (north & south east and north & south west) into the routine. To finish off, I'll slowly turn my head to look over each shoulder, making sure that my shoulders stay still, not coming forward to try to meet my chin half way.

So, they next time you find yourself imitating a scared turtle (head tucked down and shoulder up around your ears) you may find taking a few moments to stretch those neck muscles can help a bunch. Please listen to your inner guidance when stretching the neck, though. No over stretching, and don't push it if you feel any pain. When done correctly, a neck stretch is a great way to reduce allot of that stress tension we generate on such a regular basis. Hope it helps!

This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or disorder. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions about starting any exercise or stretching routine.