10 Neck Stretches and Exercises for Pain, Posture, and Better Sleep

Neck pain can have a number of causes, including muscle strains. Most neck pain can be managed at home with conservative measures, such as ice followed by heat, massage, or over-the-counter pain medication.

Strengthening and stretching exercises can help treat current neck pain or neck stiffness, and prevent it from recurring. They can also improve your posture, taking the strain off your neck.

Person stretching neck to side at home while working on a tablet

Capuski / Getty Images

This article will discuss neck stretches and isometric exercises for neck strengthening for pain, such as the diagonal neck stretch, neck stretches for posture, such as neck rotation, and isometric stretches for neck strengthening. It will also outline how to stretch safely.

Before You Start

Do not do new neck exercises or stretches unless recommended by your healthcare provider if you:

Always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program, including stretching. Also, stop stretches or exercises if you experience increased pain or numbness or tingling down the arm.

Neck Stretches for Pain

Doing neck stretches can help ease neck aches, fatigue, and stiff neck muscles. Do the exercises that help you, and stop any that increase your pain. Do each exercise slowly. You should feel a gentle stretch, but it shouldn't be painful.

Neck Stretch

  1. Sit upright on a chair, head facing straight forward, shoulders relaxed.
  2. Place your left arm behind your back. Tilt your head toward your right shoulder as far as is comfortable, feeling the stretch on the left side of your neck.
  3. Hold for five seconds at first, working up to 15 to 30 seconds.
  4. Repeat on the other side, holding the chair with your right hand and tilting your head toward your left shoulder.
  5. Do the stretch two to four times on each side.

Remember to keep your shoulders down while you tilt your head.

If you would like added stretch, gently use your hand to pull your neck toward your shoulder.

If you prefer, instead of holding the chair, you can reach across your chest with the opposite hand to hold that shoulder down.

Diagonal Neck Stretch

  1. Sit upright in a chair, facing straight ahead, relaxing your shoulders.
  2. Turn your head slightly to the left.
  3. Tilt your head diagonally toward your chest as far as is comfortable (you can use your hand to gently pull your head forward on the diagonal if you would like an added stretch).
  4. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds (work your way up if you need to).
  5. Repeat, tilting your head diagonally toward your chest on the right side.
  6. Stretch each side two to four times.

Dorsal Glide Chin Tuck

  1. Stand up straight with your feet about hip-width apart, or sit up straight in a chair.
  2. Look straight ahead, keeping your neck straight.
  3. Glide your head backward so your ears are over your shoulders, or as far as is comfortable (your chin will tuck slightly as you do this).
  4. Hold for six seconds, then relax for up to 10 seconds.
  5. Repeat two to four times.

Neck Stretches for Better Posture

Poor posture can lead to neck pain, back pain, headaches, trouble breathing, or trouble walking.

In addition to neck exercises, it's important to do exercises that strengthen and stretch your core, upper back, and chest. Reducing stress levels and making changes to how you hold your body during your daily activities, including making sure you have the right support while sleeping, also helps to improve posture.

Deep Anterior Neck Flexor Stretch—Hands on Chest

  1. Sit or stand upright.
  2. Overlap your hands and place them on your breast bone.
  3. Tilt your head upward and slightly to the left until you feel a gentle stretch along the front and side of the neck.
  4. Hold for 10 seconds.
  5. Repeat on the other side, tilting your head up and slightly to the right.
  6. Stretch each side three times.

Neck Rotation

Ben Goldstein
  1. Sit, stand, or lie flat on your back, with your head facing straight forward.
  2. Turn your head slowly to the left as far as is comfortable, feeling a stretch on the opposite side of your neck.
  3. Hold for two seconds.
  4. Turn your head facing forward again and rest for a few seconds.
  5. Repeat, turning your head slowly to the right.
  6. Repeat on each side 10 to 15 times.

Neck Bending

Ben Goldstein
  1. Sit or stand up straight, head facing forward.
  2. Tilt your head forward as though nodding, and try to touch your chin to your chest.
  3. Hold for two or three seconds.
  4. Raise your head back up to facing forward.
  5. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Make sure to relax your neck and back muscles each time you bend your neck. Breathing in gradually and exhaling slowly with the movement can help relax the muscles.

Muscles to Target When Stretching Your Neck

The muscles in your neck are important for holding your head up, movement, maintaining posture, and support.

Muscles in your neck include:

  • Sternocleidomastoid muscles: Help turn the head
  • Trapezius muscles: Help raise the head and shrug the shoulders
  • Levator scapulae muscles: Help move and control the shoulder blades
  • Scalene muscles: Flex and bend the neck laterally

Neck-Strengthening Exercises

You can use your hands to do isometric exercises that strengthen your neck. With isometric exercise, force is applied against a resistant object, creating tension that builds muscle without movement.

For each of these exercises, sit or stand upright, look straight forward, and keep your neck straight.

Side Bend Strengthening

  1. Place your right hand on the right side of your head.
  2. Try to bend your head to the side, toward your right shoulder, while gently but firmly pushing back against your head with your right hand (you should feel the muscles in the side of your neck tighten, but your head should remain upright, not tilted to either side).
  3. Hold for about six seconds then rest for about 10 seconds.
  4. Repeat eight to 12 times on the right side.
  5. Switch sides, and perform the exercise eight to 12 times on the left side.

Forward Bend Strengthening

  1. Place the heels of your hands on your forehead.
  2. Try to bend your head forward while gently pushing back with your hands, so you feel tension in the front of your neck, but your head does not move forward or backward.
  3. Hold for about six seconds, then rest for about 10 seconds.
  4. Repeat eight to 12 times.

Neutral Position Strengthening

  1. Overlap or lace your hands and place them on the back of your head.
  2. Try to bend your head backward while gently pushing your head forward with your hands, so you feel tension in the back of your neck and upper back, but your head does not move forward or backward.
  3. Hold for about six seconds, then rest for about 10 seconds.
  4. Repeat eight to 12 times.

How to Stretch Your Neck Safely

Before doing any neck stretches, talk to your healthcare provider. It is important to know what is causing your neck pain, and which exercises and stretches are safe for you to do.

It's best to warm up your neck muscles before stretching or exercising them. You can do this by engaging in a few minutes of cardiovascular warm-up exercises, applying heat such as a heating pad or warm, moist towel, or by taking a warm shower or bath.

Stretching exercises should focus on holding the stretch, building up to about 20 to 30 seconds if possible. Aim for two or three sets of stretches, two to three times a day if you can. Your range of motion may increase over time with routine stretching.

Some find it helpful to stretch in the morning to relieve stiffness, and again at night before bed.

Pay Attention to Your Pain

When you first begin doing stretching exercises, your symptoms may increase slightly, but they should get better over time and practice, not worse.

Some discomfort during the stretches is acceptable and even expected, but it shouldn't be excessive. You should feel gentle stretches, but it shouldn't be painful.

New exercises may cause some short-term muscle pain or ache, but it should resolve quickly and be no worse in the morning after you have exercised.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you feel sharp or "electric" type pain in the shoulder or arm, if the pain isn't easing (or is getting worse), or if you have any other concerns.

Tools That May Help

Some stretches and exercises can be done using tools, such as chairs, resistance bands, support pillows, and more.

For example, this exercise uses a towel for support:

Chin tuck:

  1. Lie on your back on the floor.
  2. Place a rolled-up towel under your neck (your head should still be touching the floor).
  3. Slowly tip your head forward to bring your chin toward your chest.
  4. Hold for six seconds, then relax for up to 10 seconds.
  5. Repeat eight to 12 times.

Summary

Neck stretches and strengthening exercises can help existing neck pain and stiffness, and prevent it from coming back. They are also a tool for helping to improve posture, leading to less neck strain. Always check with your healthcare provider before doing neck stretches or exercises.

Pay attention to your pain during and after stretching. Mild muscle ache or discomfort may be normal, but excessive or lasting pain could indicate a problem to bring up with your healthcare provider.

9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. UpToDate. Patient education: neck pain (beyond the basics).

  2. HealthLink BC. Neck exercises.

  3. National Health Service. Flexibility exercises.

  4. Kaiser Permanente. Neck: exercises.

  5. Harvard Health. Is it too late to save your posture?

  6. University of California. Posture correction and stretching.

  7. National Health Service. Exercises for neck problems.

  8. Saint Luke's. Your neck muscles.

  9. MyHealth. Neck strain or sprain: rehab exercises.

By Heather Jones
Heather M. Jones is a freelance writer with a strong focus on health, parenting, disability, and feminism.