Tech Neck Yoga Routine

Yoga expert Hannah Barrett is offering advice on how to alleviate the signs of tech neck and help prevent future strain on this delicate area, with a seven step neck yoga routine.

Hannah says; “The number of women experiencing ‘tech neck’ is unsurprising when we consider how many times a day, we’re all currently looking down at our devices. Its important to care for our necks and posture where we can, which is why I’ve produced a neck yoga routine, to help alleviate tech neck.”

THE WARM-UP

Start by closing the eyes and taking five deep and slow grounding breaths, feeling the body start to relax.
Whilst tuning into your breath, using your PRAI Ageless Throat & Decolletage Serum with rollerball head, start to massage the neck and décolletage area using gentle upward strokes.
This helps warm the skin, get the blood flowing and helps with lymphatic drainage.

THE PEACH TRICK

This works on strengthening the deep neck flexor muscles to help with good head alignment and reduces overloading your larger neck muscles, such as the upper trapezius muscles.
Start by doing this lying down - this is because it brings the focus to the deep neck flexors and takes away the need for the anti-gravity postural muscles (the more superficial neck muscles) which need to be active when you’re upright.
Gently nod your chin down towards your neck and hold it as if you are trying to hold a peach under your chin for five seconds. Repeat ten times. Place your fingers on the large muscles either side of your windpipe. It’s a very small movement, if you are doing the exercise correctly you shouldn’t feel these muscles tighten and stick out.
Once you’ve got used to the exercise, you can repeat this exercise standing with your back and head against the wall, keeping a neutral spine.

STARS AND SHOULDERS

Slowly inhale and as you exhale mindfully turn your head over your right shoulder, feeling a gentle stretch to the neck
Inhale back to centre and repeat on the left.
Inhale back to centre and exhale lifting the chin, gently gazing up.
Inhale back to centre and exhale gently lowering the chin gazing down.
Repeat three times.
Now inhale and gently roll the shoulders up towards the ears and exhale as you slowly draw them down and back.Repeat 5 times moving slowly and mindfully.

KISS THE SKY, OPEN THE HEART

With a 90-degree bend in the arms, raise the arms so the elbows are in line with the shoulders (“cactus arms”).Gently squeeze the shoulder blades together, opening through the heart.
Inhale and draw a line with your nose to the sky.
Stay here and make exaggerated (“MWAH”) kissing sounds with your mouth (taking 5-10 kisses), opening the mouth wide and feeling a nice stretch along the front of your neck.
To release, exhale the head back down, release the arms and take a deep breath out through the mouth.

THE ‘O’

Make your hand into a fist and place this fist underneath the chin.
Open your mouth into the shape of an ‘O’ covering your teeth with your lips.
Gently press your chin into your fist and your fist into your chin.
Exhale and close the mouth, keeping the fist underneath the chin.
Inhale to open and repeat.
Repeat five times.

THE SIT UP

Bring your hands to hold each collarbone.
Cover your teeth with your lips and smile the corners of your mouth upwards.
Inhale and slowly draw a line up to the sky with your nose.
Exhale and bring your face slowly back down.
Repeat five times.

THE RELEASE / COOL DOWN

Taking your PRAI beauty Ageless Throat & Decolletage Creme, gently begin to massage it into the throat and décolletage area using gentle upwards strokes.
This helps to release any tension from the strengthening exercises.