I’m a yoga teacher and this is my favorite pose to unlock tension in your neck

Woman sitting on a velvet navy armchair looking off camera holding her neck. there's a plant to her side and a white wall behind her. .

Neck tension can lead to all sorts of discomfort and pain including headaches, migraines, and shoulder and upper-back pain. It can also impact the quality of sleep, especially if you aren’t using a good pillow.

It’s important to keep moving even if there’s tension, but this can be difficult if it’s uncomfortable or you’re worried about causing further harm to the delicate area of the upper spine.

Luckily, there is a simple and accessible way to relieve this neck tension and you don’t need much to get started.

How to relieve neck tension with yoga

You can do this variation of the neck movements (Greeva sanchalana) yoga posture sitting or standing.

(Image credit: Future / Kat Bayly)

• Start by taking a deep breath in then releasing it slowly.
• Inhale again and as you exhale, turn your head to look over one shoulder, keeping your chin parallel to the floor.
• Allow your eyes to follow your neck rotation, looking as far as you comfortably can without strain.
• Take note of where you reach with your gaze.
• Hold, ideally until you yawn.
• Bring your head back to the center as you inhale.
• Repeat on the other side.

Once you’ve practiced this once on each side, try it again and see if you are now able to move your head and eyes further. Note where your gaze falls now.

You should find a noticeable difference, indicating tension in your neck has been relieved. Practice this posture for best benefits.

Why and how it works

This yoga pose stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs through the sides of the neck and innervates various muscles located there. Stimulating this area can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting your body into a resting state and signaling to your body that you can relax.

This enables any tight muscles in your neck to relax and you may even yawn, another sign of entering a more relaxed state.

There’s also the benefit of simply turning your head slowly side to side (without looking back with your eyes if you find this uncomfortable) to release the muscles on the side of your neck (sternocleidomastoid), which tend to get tight and limit mobility.