Regular neck exercises

Everyone should exercise their neck! We need strong, flexible muscles to support our heads. Stress and fatigue show up early in our neck muscles, causing pain. We may adopt poor positions that lead to chronic neck problems. Exercises can increase the strength and flexibility of the neck.

* When performing daily routines or household chores, take a break every half an hour to stretch and exercise your neck in different directions by looking up and down, left and right. You can also raise and squeeze your shoulders together and then relax. Repeat this action for a few minutes to relax your neck muscles.

* Swing head alternatively in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.

* Lie flat on a bed, allowing your head to hang over the edge of the bed. Gradually raise up head and lower. Do not raise your shoulders as well.

* Contracting and relaxing your neck muscles firms up flabby necks.

* Hold your head high while you walk.

* Sit straight and look straight in front of you. Now gently rotate your neck in a clockwise direction. Do it for 5 times and then rotate your neck in anti-clockwise direction. Do it for 5 times and then come back to your original position.

* Sit straight. Keeping your chin straight, turn your head to one side looking to the right so that the chin is over your shoulder. Turn your head as much as you can. Hold till the count of 5 and come back to the original position. Repeat the same sequence for the other side.

* Hold your head in a central position, then lean it as far over as you can towards one shoulder and hold for a count of 10. Your neck may feel rather stiff to begin with. Repeat on the other side making sure that your shoulder remains still and relaxed throughout. Do five repetitions.