First For Women highlights stretches you can do in bed to relieve neck and shoulder pain in an interview with Alison Brown, PT, DPT, physical therapist at HSS. 

The National Institutes of Health estimates that about one in three Americans experience neck pain at least once a year, but the numbers are likely even higher. Indeed, research shows that 65% of people who work from home suffer from neck or back pain, and 30% of them says it keeps them from being productive. Women are affected more often than men, and the risk of problems becoming chronic and repetitive increases with age.

Technology-induced aches, or “tech neck” — neck pain caused by prolonged use of cell phones and computers — is also on the rise. Brown points out additional related risks of screen time: “Activities like looking at a computer or looking at our cell phones could lead to forward head positioning, rounded shoulders, increased kyphosis [rounding of the spine] and neck/upper back pain.

Completing stretches in bed can be beneficial to incorporate into your routine. And while you’re stretching, don’t forget to breathe. 

Breathing slowly and deeply can also give you something to focus on while you hold each stretch. “I always remind patients that the definition of a stretch is something prolonged,” Brown says. “It is important to hold each position for an extended period of time, at least 20 to 30 seconds, in order to actually accomplish anything. As you hold a stretch, the sensation you initially feel should start to dissipate.”

Read the full article at firstforwomen.com.