Has sitting at your desk and staring at your phone all day given you nerd neck? I feel you, literally. Working 10+ hours a day my neck was starting to take vengeance on me. To counteract I put together some yoga stretches for my stiff neck and shoulders that you can do below.
Besides common sedentary work positions that can aggravate the upper back muscles all the way up to the neck, stress and emotions can store themselves along your spine and in the neck and shoulders.
Of course, there’s always working out and physical movement that can bring on soreness and stiffness, too.
Along with sleeping positions and overall spine inflexibility.
The list goes on.
So, besides having a few stretches in your back pocket for when things get stiff (pun intended), I’ve included a yoga sequence at the end of this article to flow through as often as you’d like to keep your shoulders and neck open and stretched out.
5 Yoga Stretches for a Stiff Neck and Shoulders
Here are five yoga stretches that can help you work through the kinks:
Shoulder and Neck Rolls
From a seated position, gently roll the shoulder forward four times and then backward four times.
Come back to a centered, straight spine, and begin to lower your right ear toward your right shoulder.
Roll your chin down toward your chest, keeping the spine straight and then rotate upward slightly to lower your left ear down toward the left shoulder.
Repeat, starting on the left side this time.
Cow Face Arms
Any seated position works for this one.
Start with the right arm down by your side.
Then, bend your elbow to take your right hand behind your back and up toward the center of your upper back.
Lift the left arm up by your left ear.
Then, bend the left elbow to take the left hand behind the head and down toward the center of the upper back to meet––or get close to meeting––the right fingertips.
If possible, grab the fingertips and pull the top shoulder back gently. Release, and roll through the shoulders before switching sides.
Humble Warrior Arms
From Hero Pose, clasp the hands behind the back and roll the shoulders back.
Pull your hands down and away from the hips as you lift your chest up and into a small backbend.
Fold forward over your thighs on your exhale, while continuing to pull the arms away from your back.
Slowly come out and shake out the shoulders.
Repeat and switch the clasp in your hands.
Intense Shoulder Stretch
Lower down onto your belly and stretch your right arm directly out, in line with your right shoulder, and rest it onto the floor.
Gaze over your left shoulder and press your left hand into the floor beneath your left shoulder to move the body onto its right side––directly into your outstretched right shoulder.
Bend the left knee and plant the left foot in the mat behind your right knee.
Use your left hand and left knee to leverage the body deeper into the right arm.
Take it slow and only go as far as feels beneficial. Then, slowly return to your belly and repeat on the left side.
Puppy Pose
From table top position, walk the hands out a few hand-lengths.
Lower the forearms and press the chest through the arms toward the mat.
Keep your hips directly above and in line with your knees, and rest on your chest, chin or forehead.
Enjoy exhales through the mouth for 3-5 breaths within this backbend.
While these stretches can be amazing for finding length, space and relief in the neck, shoulders and upper back, the root of the issue also should be addressed.
And in a very yogic way, this is where ‘looking within’ can help determine the cause of your bodily stiffness.
Stress + Stiffness in the Neck
Why exactly does the human body get stiff and tight from stress?
It turns out it has little to do with body position (like when the shoulders creep up toward the ears when stressed) and everything to do with emotions.
According to Psychology Today, it’s important to accept every single emotion that we experience.
“We should never disown, deny or repress any part of our experience. He points out that to deny our feelings is to keep ourselves in a perpetual state of internal conflict,” the article quotes Nathaniel Branden, the founder of The Psychology of Self-Esteem.
Basically, when we experience emotions we don’t want to feel, we store them instead of letting them pass through us––without judgment.
Branden compiled a list of the top 10 areas we store unwanted emotions, and the neck and shoulder region is number five. He states this area is where we literally carry the stress of shouldering too many burdens or responsibilities.
“Shouldering too many responsibilities is a pain in the neck. If you suffer from neck and shoulder tension, it’s likely that you’re overly burdened,” he says. “Rather than ask for help from others, you’re likely to do everything yourself. This most often leads to neck and shoulder tightness. Learn to delegate, ask for support, decide what is really worth taking on, and for goodness sake, share responsibilities with others.”
Getting to the root of where you feel stressed in your life can help identify tightness, aches and stiffness throughout the body. Read the complete list here.
Finding ways to lighten your load plus incorporating a healthy neck and shoulders yoga routine could do the trick.
Yoga Sequence for Neck + Shoulders
To bring relief and space into your tight neck and shoulders, we’ve put together a yoga sequence that can be done daily or as needed.
- Warm up sequence:
- Mountain Pose
- Open Shoulder Fold: Clasp hands behind hips, roll the shoulders back, pull hands up and away from hips as you fold forward over your legs.
- Cactus Arms: Raise arms over head and, on an exhale, bend elbows wide as you lift your heart into a small backbend.
- Vinyasa
- Repeat warm up sequence: Find the opposite clasp in your hands for Open Shoulder Fold.
- Active sequence:
- Warrior 1
- Humble Warrior
- Warrior 1
- Reverse Warrior
- Warrior 2
- Vinyasa
- Repeat active sequence: Switch clasped hands in Humble Warrior.
- Floor sequence:
- Eye of the Needle, both sides
- Puppy Pose
- Cat/Cows, four rounds
- Intense Shoulder Stretch
- Hero Pose flow:
- Humble Warrior Arms
- Cow Face Arms, both sides
- Seated Side Bend, both sides
- Intense Shoulder Stretch, both sides
- Savasana
Let us know how you feel after incorporating these stretches into your routine. For more yoga sequences, browse here.
