Stretching exercises for when you're feeling stiff at home or work

These simple stretches will undo all the stiffness created from your daily stresses...

Do your neck and shoulders ever feel really stiff after sitting behind a desk at work all week? Or maybe carrying out everyday tasks, such as ironing or washing the dishes, have started to take a toll on your back. It happens to us all, and it's important to relax our bodies by stretching when they start to feel tense.

Follow our tips on stretching to ease the toll that stressful everyday activities can take on our bodies!

Listen up ladies, it's time to unwind...

Problem area: Everyday tasks have given you a stiff, tense neck 

Hunched shoulders often result from everyday actions, such as cradling the phone or ironing.

You can ease some of this tension by stretching your main shoulder muscles.

Extend your arm across your chest and put your opposite hand on your elbow. Push your elbow towards your chest and hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds before repeating on the other side.

Repeat this stretch up to four times a week and you should notice a difference after a week.

Tip: Having a massage breaks down waste products that accumulate in muscle tissue and helps to restore flexibility to the area.

Problem area: You have rounded shoulders and a sore back from bending over your work desk

Take breaks during the day to stretch your arm muscles. You can do this from a standing position without leaving your desk.

Extend your arms behind your back at waist height with hands clasped. Slowly lift your arms upwards, while sticking your chest out.

Hold for 30 seconds, as you become more flexible, you can hold for up to a minute. Lifting your arms higher as you stretch will mean you get a deeper stretch.

Aim to stretch twice a day to start with.

Tip: Put five to 10 drops of camphorous oil, such as eucalyptus, into a bath to relax your muscles.