5 Ways to Prevent a Stiff Neck

5 Ways to Prevent a Stiff Neck

1. Get a Better Pillow: One of the most common, and seemingly unavoidable, causes of a stiff neck is poor sleeping posture. When you sleep, your neck basically remains in one position for hours at a time, so it makes sense that you would want that position to be comfortable, without straining the muscles of the neck. A good pillow that properly provides support should reduce any strain on your neck while you sleep. If you’re laying your head on an old, limp pillow, then there’s a good chance you’ll wake up with a stiff neck!
2. Improve Your Posture: This may sound like it’s easier said than done, but posture is an important part of preventing a stiff neck. If you find yourself hunched over or walking without your head erect, you are putting constant strain on your neck muscles. Extended periods in this position will almost certainly give you a stiff neck. Consciously decide to improve your posture and roll back your shoulders as often as you can. There are discreet, wearable braces that you can purchase to help you improve posture, as well as ergonomic chairs that can help prevent stiff necks in these situations.
3. Cut Down on Device Use: In our modern world, it feels like everyone has a tablet or a smartphone, which means that billions of people are spending time staring at a screen int their hands. Hunching over to read an endless stream of notifications on your smartphone can be disastrous for your neck muscles, and is likely the most common cause of stiff necks in the past decade. Be aware of how much time you are spending staring down at your phone, and if you want to wake up with a stress-free neck, put the tablet down for a while!
4. Consider What You Carry: Many people carry heavy bags or purses almost every day of their life, but they rarely consider switching shoulders. We become comfortable with a certain way of walking and existing in the world, which means putting consistent and uneven strain on our body. Be sure to alternate arms with your shoulder bag or purse, or get a backpack, which results in a much more even distribution of weight on your back.
5. Reduce Overall Stress: Stress levels can be a major factor behind stiff necks, primarily because when we are anxious or tense, our muscles naturally flex, and many people carry that stress in their shoulders and neck muscles. It’s often difficult to tell that you’re doing it, but chronic stress can wreak havoc on your neck. Try any one of the many relaxation techniques out there, including massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy, dietary changes, or green tea. If you can flush out the stress hormones, you can probably flush out the pain of your stiff neck too!