We do several activities every day, most of which involve the neck and shoulder muscles. With the increasing use of gadgets and decreased relaxation of muscles, you can end up with tight or stressed shoulders. In this blog, we have discussed some of the easiest stress free shoulders yoga poses that you can do every day.
What causes stressed shoulders?
Your shoulders are probably the most used muscles in your body. Be it lifting a grocery bag, grabbing anything from the shelf, or holding your phone for too long, shoulders are the key to these movements.
Devices
In your daily life, if you do a lot of desk work, you may end up with stressed shoulders due to constant typing, and looking down at a device for too long.
Prolonged sitting
Sitting for a long time and not taking a walk every once in a while can also be a reason for your shoulder muscles being stressed.
Lifting weights wrongly
One of the major reasons is lifting weights not recommended for you or lifting them wrongly. This also includes lifting a heavyweight in the wrong way.
Stressed shoulders are the reason for most of the random muscle pain that you get, and are even linked to reducing the quality of your sleep. Most of us don’t notice the stress that our shoulders are going through as our minds are occupied with work, and when we come home and relax, that’s when the pain kicks in.
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Why do I prefer stress free shoulders yoga?
Yoga has long proven its effectiveness in releasing muscle tightness and removing the toxins accumulated in different parts of the body. Most yoga positions are specialized to detoxify and help a single part of your body.
If you are experiencing constant pain in your shoulders or have noticed the tightness then you should try these stress free shoulders yoga poses every day.
5+ Stress free shoulders Yoga poses
You may not be able to change your desk lifestyle but you can reduce the stress on your shoulders significantly with these Yoga poses. These are special stress free shoulders yoga poses that will relax your muscles and strengthen them as well.
Prasarita Padottanasana (Standing forward bend with Legs Widened)
This is a great stretch for your shoulders as well as your lower back. This stress free shoulders yoga pose will relax all of your tight muscles in the back and shoulders. The steps are as follows:
- Stand in Tadasana with your hands extended on the side. Focus on your breath and try to relax your muscles.
- Widen your legs as much as you can comfortably.
- Bring your arms to your back and intertwine your fingers so that your shoulders and arm muscles are stretching.
- Slowly lower your back while keeping your neck loose so that you are looking back through the space widened by your legs.
- Stay in this position and try to focus on your breathing. After a few minutes, straighten your back and relax your arms and legs to stand in Tadasana again.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
One of the most popular yoga poses for chest and shoulder muscles. This stress free shoulders yoga pose also relaxes your Trapezius. The steps are as follows:
- Start by lying down on a mat keeping your belly on the mat. Keep your legs straight and your hands under your shoulders.
- Make sure that your feet and thigh muscles are pressed on the mat.
- While breathing in, slowly straighten your arms to lift your chest up.
- Push your shoulder blades behind to open your chest through the top of your sternum without forcing your ribs forward.
- Try to lift your hands an inch and hover them above the ground. You can put your hands down again according to your comfort. This step will make sure that your chest is being opened due to your shoulder blades rather than the force of your hands.
Marjaryasana (Cat Pose)
The cat pose is also one of the most beneficial stress free shoulders yoga poses. This is also one of the easiest to do. Here are the steps:
- Get in a tabletop position by getting on your knees with your palms spread and arms and legs parallel to each other.
- Bend your spine upwards towards the ceiling while pressing your palms down. Feel your shoulder blades glide apart.
- Relax your neck by keeping your head loose and touch your chin to your chest.
Dhanurasana (Bow pose)
This stress free shoulders yoga pose will help you release tension in shoulders, neck, and your entire back. The steps for Dhanurasana are as follows:
- Start with lying down on your belly and your hands on your side with the palms facing up.
- While taking a deep breath, bend your knees to bring your feet just above your knees.
- Reach back and grab your feet with your hands.
- Lift your thighs upwards and pull your feet forward with your hands stretching your leg muscles.
- Feel your shoulder blades pressing against your back to open your chest.
Uttana Shishosana (Extended Puppy pose)
The last stress free shoulders yoga pose is the extended puppy pose. Besides sounding cute, this pose stretches your back muscles while relaxing your shoulder muscles. The steps are as follows:
- Sit in a tabletop position as done in Marjaryasana.
- Let your hands slide forward while keeping your arms straight.
- Arch your hips upwards such that your belly is as close to your thighs as possible.
Benefits of stress free shoulders yoga
- Releases tension in shoulder and neck muscles.
- May cure shoulder pain and increased strength.
- Improved sleep.
- Helps back muscles in addition to shoulder muscles.
- Mental peace and relaxation.
Conclusion
Your daily lifestyle causes your shoulder muscles to get tense and stressed. This stress in the shoulder can cause long-term pain among other health issues. By practicing stress free shoulders yoga poses everyday, you can release the tension in your muscles.
The above given 5 poses are the easiest and will help your shoulders specifically. If you already practice yoga and these poses are not included in your daily practice then you can try to include 2-3 of them.
Try each one out for some time and identify what works best for you.
