The most common hindrance to relaxation is – unsurprisingly – the neck muscles, followed by the shoulder muscles.  Most people will suffer from this to one extent or another.  It’s very easy to notice the level of mental stress within an individual by the set of their neck and shoulders.  What’s not so easy, is to remove and release the tension – which of course makes it very difficult to completely relax in any enjoyable or meaningful way.

Fortunately there are a number of ways of releasing this tension.  Here is a method you can use yourself, it’s very easy and can be done anywhere – whether on your own or in a crowd:

Shoulder Relaxation Exercise

1. Stand up with your arms hanging straight down.
2. Raise your left and place your fingers behind your left should muscle.
3. Using your fingers gently grip the muscle and apply a comfortable amount of pressure.
4. Gently squeeze the muscle three times.
5. Release your grip, but maintaining a comfortable amount of downward pressure on the muscle, slide your fingers over your shoulder and down towards your chest, this will stretch your muscle a little in the direction you are moving your hand.
6. Do this 4 or 5 times.
7. Repeat the same process with your right-hand and right shoulder.

Neck Relaxation Exercise

1. Stand up with your arms hanging straight down.
2. Using either your left or right hand, reach around to the back of your neck.
3. Place your thumb on one side of your neck, and reach your fingers around to the other side of your neck.
4. Squeeze your fingers and thumb together some that you are gripping your neck.  Take care to only apply a comfortable amount of pressure.
5. Repeat this 4 or 5 times.

You should notice a distinct level of improvement in your muscles after this exercise.  You can repeat these as often as necessary, the beauty of these relaxation exercises is that you can do them wherever and whenever you desire.