Do you wake up with tightness or tension in your shoulders? This could be due to not fully relaxing your neck and shoulder muscles before sleep. Six simple neck movements can help relieve pre-bedtime shoulder tension and discomfort for better sleep.

Not using a pillow or lying flat on your back while sleeping can cause strain or improper posture, which can affect the neck and shoulders.

During the day, a common neck issue arises from the tendency to tilt the head forward, especially when using phones (text neck) or sitting for extended periods at a desk looking at computer screens. Reducing time spent in such positions can help to maintain cervical spine health.

Given that the head weighs about 11 pounds, tilting it forward just 15 degrees increases the pressure on the cervical spine to 26 pounds. At a 60-degree tilt, the pressure rises to 60 pounds. Such excessive strain often leads to pain at the base of the neck, near the thoracic spine, and can result in conditions such as disc herniation, degeneration, and even nerve compression.

Neck discomfort or pain is often the result of muscle imbalances, including tightness in the neck extensors, pectoralis major, and pectoralis minor, as well as limited mobility in the thoracic spine. Meanwhile, the neck flexors and scapular muscles tend to be weak in affected people. To effectively relieve neck discomfort, it is essential to first release tension in the tight muscles and then strengthen the weak ones.

Step 1: Relieve Muscle Tension

Self-Massage

Thoracic Spine Release With Massage Ball. (The Epoch Times)

Thoracic Spine Release With a Massage Ball

• Lie on your back.
• Place a massage ball at the thoracic spine just below your neck and work it along the edges of the shoulder blades to locate areas of tension.
• To reach deeper spots, raise the arm on the side you are massaging and stretch it across to the opposite side. This movement helps open up the shoulder blade, creating more space for the massage.

Step 2: Improve Thoracic Mobility

Quadruped Scapular Push-Ups. (The Epoch Times)

Quadruped Scapular Push-Ups

1. In a tabletop position, place your hands directly under your shoulders and align your knees beneath your hips.
2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, and let your upper back sink slightly. Hold for 10 seconds.
3. Spread your shoulder blades apart, arch your upper back as the blades move away from each other, and hold for 10 seconds.
4. Repeat the movement several times.

Child’s Pose with Shoulder Stretch. (The Epoch Times)

Child’s Pose With Shoulder Stretch

1. Begin in a tabletop position with your knees hip-width apart and elbows placed slightly in front of your shoulders on the ground.
2. Slowly push your hips back, gradually opening your chest and lowering it toward the floor to stretch your lower back. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds.
3. Return your hips to the starting position and repeat the movement several times.

Step 3: Strengthen Neck Muscles

Supine Chin Tuck. (The Epoch Times)

Supine Chin Tuck

1. Lie on your back on the floor.
2. Gently press the base of your skull against the floor and slightly tuck your chin.
3. Hold this position without moving for several seconds

Banded Supine Chin Tuck. (The Epoch Times)

Banded Supine Chin Tuck

1. Start in the Supine Chin Tuck position.
2. Place a resistance band under your feet and hold one end in each hand.
3. Pull the band upward while keeping your chin tucked. You should feel a gentle stretch along the back of your neck.
4. Hold the position briefly before slowly releasing.