Yoga exercises for neck pain

Yoga, a practice which aims to bring together the body, mind and soul, is a physical discipline that has quickly gained popularity. Yoga is an ancient discipline that was created and performed in ancient India and has been followed ever since.

Yoga is a successful amalgamation of meditation, breathing techniques, and physical poses (asanas), which are designed to enhance the functioning of the body and the relaxation of the mind. Those who practice yoga regularly, find their immunity enhanced, their body strengthened, and their mind at ease.

Our everyday lives are such that we undergo a lot of stress - both physical and mental. When combined with the lifestyle that we lead, this stress can take a huge toll on our physical and emotional health. As lifestyle disorders keep increasing, there is a pressing need to engage in healing activities that help us work towards both physical and emotional well being.

A result of this constant pressure and stress is severe pain and stiffness in the shoulder and neck region. This pain, though physical in nature, is often attributed to mental and emotional stress. For neck pain relief, not only should the posture be corrected, but the mind also needs to be relaxed.

Neck pain exercises

There are a series of neck pain exercises and poses that stretch and relax the muscles to soothe the physical pain. However, there need to be other corrective measures that can help strengthen the neck, spine and shoulders so that further wear and tear can be reduced. Neck pain yoga is an effective method to address all these concerns. It can help you increase the core strength of the body, correct body posture and alignment flaws, and also reduce stress.

Yoga for neck pain

Some of the popular yoga exercises for neck pain are the locust pose, half wind releasing pose, child pose, wind releasing pose, cat/dog pose, cobra pose, upward bow pose, and downward facing dog pose. Yoga for neck pain may also involve meditation and other calming exercises that help you release mental stress and tensions. Since this stress is often manifested as physical pain, managing stress needs to be a long term plan.

Other exercises like neck stretches, half circle rolls, shoulder hunches, deep breathing to expand the chest, and arm lifts can help keep stress away from the shoulder and neck region. Even when you’re at work, you can simply do these exercises at your desk.

Another great neck pain remedy is to sleep straight on your back for a few days and avoid using a pillow.