Stiff Neck? This 10-Minute Yoga Relieves Upper Body Tension.

Despite the endless hours you spend on your phone, in front of your computer, on long commutes, or in high-stress situations, you might not notice that nagging tension in your neck, shoulders, and upper back until you try relaxing and can’t. Or maybe you’ve become so accustomed to the knots in your upper body that it’s become your baseline.

So much of what causes this discomfort is unconscious behavior—your rounded shoulders and lowered chin at your desk, in the car, or even while you’re standing or walking. That’s where practicing yoga for your neck, shoulders, and upper back comes in. It not only helps reduce tension and aches, it sets you up for lasting relief by training your body to move in more supportive ways. Because when you start being more intentional about how you move your body, you start preventing the slouching, and forward leaning that creates tension and the resulting tech neck.

Below are your new go-to stretches that not only help release upper body tension, but prevent it.

10-Minute Yoga for Upper Body Release

Practice this short yoga sequence whenever you crave an upper-body stretch. Most of the movements can be done anywhere, whether you’re seated or standing, so you might want to get in the habit of taking a few neck stretches every time you sit down to work or a spinal twist and some shoulder rolls after driving and before you get out of the car.

1. Neck Stretches

Sit cross-legged or find another comfortable position. Exhale and tilt your head toward the right, drawing your ear toward your right shoulder. Inhale and return to center. Exhale and tilt your head toward the left, drawing your ear toward your left shoulder. Repeat that a few times.

Inhale and lift your chin toward the ceiling. Exhale and lower your chin toward your chest. Inhale and return your head to neutral.

Exhale and turn your head to look over your right shoulder. Inhale and return to center. Exhale and look over your left shoulder. Inhale and return to center.

2. Seated Cat-Cow 

Interlace your fingers behind your head with your elbows out to the sides. Exhale as you draw your navel toward your spine, round your back, and lower your chin toward your chest, but avoid pulling on your neck in a Cat Pose variation. Inhale as you lift upright and arch your back, drawing your elbows back slightly in a Cow Pose variation. Repeat a few times.

3. Arm Rotation

Reach your arms out to the sides in a T position. Exhale as you rotate your palms toward the ceiling with your elbows facing the floor. Reach your thumbs toward the wall behind you and your pinkies up toward the ceiling. Take a few breaths here.

Exhale as you rotate your arms forward almost 360 degrees so your elbows and palms face the ceiling again. Reach your thumbs toward the wall behind you and your pinkies forward. Take a few breaths here.

4. Crossed Arm Stretch

Reach your arms out to the sides in a T position with your palms facing forward. Exhale and cross your arms in front of your chest with your right arm over your left, placing your hands on opposite shoulders. Stay here or explore gentle movement, lifting your elbows slightly for more of a stretch. Take a few breaths here, then reach your arms out to the sides and repeat with your left arm over your right arm.

5. Chest Stretch

Walk your hands on the mat behind your hips with your fingertips facing forward. Press your palms into the mat, lift your chest, and lift your gaze. Take a few deep breaths here, then walk your hands back to rest on your knees.

6. Shoulder Circles

Lift your shoulders toward your ears, then roll them back, down, and forward. Continue drawing circles with your shoulders in one direction for a few rounds, then switch directions.

7. Seated Side Stretch

Lower your right hand or fingertips to the floor or a block outside your right hip. Reach your left arm overhead toward your right side. Take a few breaths here.

Inhale and return to center with both arms reaching overhead, then lower your left hand to the floor or a block outside your left hip. Reach your right arm up and overhead toward the left side. Take a few breaths here, then return to center.

8. Seated Twist

Inhale and reach your arms overhead. Exhale and twist your chest toward the left. Place your right hand on your left knee and your left fingertips on the mat behind you. Take a few breaths here.

Inhale and return to center. Reach both arms overhead, then twist your chest toward the right. Place your left hand on your right knee and your right fingertips on the mat behind you. Take a few breaths here, then return to center.

9. Windshield Wipers

From sitting, bend your knees and plant your feet on the mat. Walk your hands behind your hips. Slowly draw your knees toward the right side, then the left, moving back and forth in a windshield wiper motion.

10. Seated Forward Fold

From Windshield Wipers, walk your heels a few inches forward and point your toes toward the ceiling. Keep a deep bend in your knees. Reach your arms overhead and toward your toes in a Seated Forward Bend variation. Allow the weight of your head to drop between your arms as you rest your hands on your thighs or calves, or grasp your toes in this Seated Forward Fold variation. Take a few deep breaths here, then slowly roll up.

Return to a comfortable seated position. Take a moment to find a little movement, maybe rolling your neck. Notice how you feel after this practice and return to it whenever you need it.