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When your neck is sore, what is the first thing you do? Most of us probably roll our head in an attempt to stretch our neck. Something that we didn’t know until reading this article was that stretching a muscle can do the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve; instead of relieving the tense muscle you could make it tighter. Luckily, the same article discusses how you can position your head throughout the majority of your day, including sleep time, to relieve neck and shoulder tension.
For example:
As you stare at your computer screen
Imagine someone grabbed the hair at the very center of your head and gently pulled your head back to the wall behind you. Then imagine that person attached a balloon to your head and it pulled your head upwards as it floated into the air. That is how your head should remain as you work at your computer throughout the day.
As you check your phone
Instead of staring down at your phone, bend your arm at the elbow and prop your elbow against the front of your ribcage, bringing your phone closer to the front of your face. If this position is not possible, try only moving your eyes instead of your whole head to look at your phone.
As you exercise
You know the old nursery rhyme, “the head bone is connected to the neck bone, the neck bone’s connected to the shoulder bone, etc”? The same is true for your muscles, they are all connected and support one another. Exercise is one way we enhance the connection of all these muscles. For example, while performing a plank, bring your head backwards toward the ceiling as you hold the position. Your eyes should be able to see the floor right in front of you, not your feet!
As you sleep
Sleeping should be a time of rest, but you may be tensing your muscles hard throughout the night. When you lay down to go to sleep, pay attention to where your head is positioned in relation to the rest of your body. Your head should be like the dot over a lowercase I and your spine is the rest of the letter.
Taking note of your posture throughout the day can help improve neck pain. However, if pain persists you should see your primary care physician or chiropractor to find the root cause of your pain.