5-Minute Sitting Yoga to Relieve Neck Pain

“I have a creak in my neck.” How many times have you uttered those exact words after waking up with a tight, pulling sensation in your neck? Maybe too many to count.

Maybe you’re sleeping in a strange position. Maybe it was your pillow’s fault. Maybe you’ve been using your phone for a long time during the day. Whatever the cause, the result can be the kind of neck pain you feel every time you turn your head.

When this happens, the goal is not to force your neck to move. It’s to gently release the tension that keeps him tied up without making things worse. Practicing yoga for neck pain helps with this. This doesn’t involve any intense stretching, just slow, controlled movements that help your neck and shoulders relax. It only takes 5 minutes.

5-Minute Sitting Yoga to Relieve Neck Pain

This practice is designed to be quick enough to practice even before getting out of bed. Take your time and skip any position that causes discomfort or pain. Consult your doctor if you have persistent neck pain and before starting any new exercise routine.

1. Neck stretch

Sit in a comfortable position on the mat. Turn your head to the right and stop. Lower your chin towards your chest and pause. Turn your head to the left and pause. Lower your chin towards your chest and pause. Back to the center.

Tilt your head to lower your right ear toward your right shoulder. Take some breaths here. Return your head to center. Tilt your head toward the left, lowering your left ear toward your left shoulder. Take a few breaths here, then come back to center.

2. Head circles

Lower your right ear toward your right shoulder, tilt your head back, lower your left ear toward your left shoulder, and lower your chin toward your chest. Continue drawing circles with your head towards the right. Then switch directions and take a few vertical circles towards the left.

3. Sitting cat cow

From a comfortable seated position with your hands on your thighs, arch your back and lift your chin inward. Cow pose. Take some breaths here. When you’re ready, round your back and lower your chin toward your chest Cat pose. Repeat the Sitting Cat Cow exercise for a few rounds at your own pace.

4. Seated twist

Extend your hands toward the ceiling. Twist toward your right while lowering your left hand to your right knee or thigh and your right fingertips on the mat behind you. Look at your left shoulder, then slowly turn your gaze to your right shoulder. Return to center and repeat on the left side.

5. Cow cat

Slowly work your way up on your hands and knees. Press your hands into the mat, arch your back, and lift your chin into cow pose. Then round your back and pull your chin toward your chest into cat pose. Repeat the Cat-Cow exercise for a few rounds at your own pace.

6. Child’s position

From your hands and knees, lower your hips toward your heels, lower your forehead to the mat or block, and straighten your arms on the mat Child’s position. Let your head rest on the mat and release any tension in your neck and upper back.

Finally, take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out through your mouth. Notice if your neck feels less stiff after doing 5 minutes of yoga.