Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!

Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. 

Neck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:

• have long commutes or sit at a desk all day

• who have issues with posture 

• who have chronic sleep issues

Our neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! 

Daily changes you can make to avoid neck pain

1. Stay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? We can help here at MyYogaTeacher!
2. Stay active! It’s important to stay mobilized. If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday.
3. Check your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free.

If you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try!

10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :

1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch

This pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.

Start by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. 

2. Child’s Pose

Releases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.

Bring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. 

3. Downward facing dog

Helps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. 

Start by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. 

4. Bridge Pose

Releases chest, neck, spine and hips.

Lay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. 

5. Wide Leg forward fold

Releases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. 

Bring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. 

6. Cow face pose

Strengthens core and spine.

Sit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. 

7. Sphinx pose

This pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. 

Lie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. 

8. Thread the Needle 

Increases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. 

Come on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. 

9. Legs up the wall

Releases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. 

Find a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. 

10. Savasana

Savasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. 

Come onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. 

Classes to help relieve neck pain 

• Yoga fusion for joints - This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. 
• Yoga for Back Pain - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! 
• Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. 

So if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! Get started on your yoga journey now!