Our neck is such an important part of us, so keeping it strong and healthy is vital. These exercises are done in the morning, preferably upon just waking up, as it will set you up for success for the rest of the day helping you feel good in not just your neck but for your body as well.  These exercises are great for those who suffer with TMJ problems, migraines and sinus issues.

Sit up nice and tall in your seat, your spine long, and your shoulders pulled down away from your ears.

Begin by turning your head from left to right, trying to get your chin parallel with each shoulder, doing this for about thirty seconds. Keeping the neck nice and long as you do so and the shoulders sliding down away from your ears.

Next move your head up-and-down, bringing your chin up to the sky and then bringing your chin down to your chest. Continue doing this for thirty seconds while still sitting up nice and tall in your seat.

With the next exercise, you are going to bring your chin out and in; so, jutting your chin out and away from your throat and then back into your throat. Continue with this forward and back motion for thirty seconds, keeping your shoulders pulling down away from the ears and your jaw open and relaxed the entire time.

Next bring your left ear to your left shoulder as you stretch your right neck nice and long while pulling your right ear up towards the sky and away from the right shoulder at the same time pulling your right shoulder down away from that right ear. Now switch to the other side, dropping the right ear to the right shoulder as the left ear pulls up and the left shoulder pulls down away from that ear as you lengthen and stretch that left side of the neck. Try to soften your jaw and cheeks as you do this exercise for thirty seconds.

Now face forward and move your chin to one shoulder and then the other; left chin draws to the left shoulder, then the chin draws to the right shoulder and so on continuing with this for thirty seconds. Try your best to face forward and only move your head and not the rest of your body as you do this exercise.

In this last exercise, drop your chin to the chest and then roll it to the left and to the back and then around to the right back to the chest again. Think of an imaginary rolled towel behind the base of your neck as a sort of guide to help you not to dump the weight of your head back when you roll your head around to the back. Do 3 circles on that one side and then switch around to the other side by going the opposite direction for 3 circles.

When you have finished with that, keep the chin to the chest and stay there as you breathe for about 5 breaths allowing the neck to just hang there as you relax into this nice stretch for the back of the neck.

Come back up slowly, bringing your shoulders up to the ears as you squeeze them and then drop them gently down. May you take this relaxing and calming energy you cultivated with you throughout the rest of your day and into the lives of those you meet and greet today.  Be well!

If you would like to follow along to a video instruction of these exercises, simply scan the QR code below.