If you’ve woken up with a stiff neck and you’re not sure what to do, this post is for you.
At The MSK Studio in Adelaide, neck stiffness is one of the most common presentations we see and one that people are often unsure how to manage at home.
The right movement, done gently and in the right order, is generally what starts to reduce stiffness and get things moving again.
Below are the 4 physiotherapy exercises I give clients who have woken up with a stiff neck, in the exact sequence I recommend them.
If your neck stiffness is accompanied by arm pain or tingling, this may indicate cervical radiculopathy.
Dealing with neck pain or stiffness in Adelaide? Our spinal physiotherapy service covers neck and upper back assessment and treatment.
—
Before You Start
Go at your own pace. These exercises are designed to be low load and gentle, the goal right now is to keep the neck moving, reduce stiffness, and start settling things down without making it worse.
If anything feels sharp or causes symptoms to worsen or travel down the arm, stop and get a proper spinal physiotherapy assessment before continuing. Pain or tingling into the arm can indicate nerve involvement that needs to be properly assessed before loading the neck further.
—
Exercise 1 — Neck Rotations
This is usually the first movement I go to with anyone who has woken up with a stiff neck. It’s low load, it’s gentle, and it gets the neck moving without putting any weight through it at all.
Lie on your back, either on your bed or on a yoga mat. Place a pillow under your head so the neck feels supported. Legs can stay straight or knees can be bent, whichever is more comfortable.
Gently turn your head side to side with slow, controlled breaths in and out. You’re not forcing through the movement, just working within whatever range feels comfortable.
The reason we do this lying down is important. Taking the weight of the head out of the equation allows the muscles of the neck to stay relaxed, which means they’re more likely to respond to the movement rather than guard against it. This is the same principle behind why we start lower back pain exercises on the floor rather than standing.
10 repetitions each side. Nice and slow.
—
Exercise 2 — Shoulder Circles
Shoulder circles are a low-load way to promote blood flow through the muscles of the neck and shoulder without putting direct load on the neck itself, making them useful during an acute neck pain flare-up.
Sit up in a comfortable position. Place your hands together and keep them steady. Roll the shoulders in a smooth, circular motion, forwards first, then backwards. The head stays still and looking forward throughout. Try not to tense through the movement. Nice, slow circles.
The upper trapezius and the muscles of the upper back connect directly into the base of the skull, getting them moving gently can help reduce the load being placed on the neck joints and may help settle the guarding response that comes with a stiff neck.
20 repetitions forwards, 20 repetitions backwards. Take your time between each one.
—
Exercise 3 — Chin Tucks
Chin tucks are a useful way to help stretch the muscles at the back of the neck that tend to lock up overnight.
Lying on your back with your head on the pillow, take a slow breath in. As you breathe out, gently draw the back of your head down into the pillow — not lifting the head, just pressing it back. You should feel a gentle pull or stretch at the back of the neck.
Hold through one slow breath in, then as you breathe out, relax the neck completely. The movement is subtle — you’re not trying to create a big range here. Small and controlled is exactly right.
This exercise also helps restore the natural curve of the cervical spine, which can become compressed after sleeping in an awkward position — one of the more common contributors to waking up with a stiff neck. If your stiffness is recurring, this is worth discussing at a spinal physiotherapy assessment as it can point to underlying cervical stiffness that may benefit from being addressed directly.
5 repetitions. Stay relaxed between each one.
—
Exercise 4 — Trigger Ball Release
For this you’ll need a lacrosse ball or a tennis ball.
Lie on your back and place the ball behind the spine and the shoulder blade on one side. Gently hug the elbow on the same side across your chest and support it with the other hand. This allows the ball to sink into the deeper layers of muscle rather than sitting on top of the shoulder blade.
From here, apply gentle pressure against the ball and slowly roll side to side or up and down by moving your legs and hips. The key is to keep the shoulder relaxed throughout, you want the muscles around the neck and upper back to be completely passive. Moving the shoulder will cause them to activate and you’ll lose the benefit.
This is a useful thing you can do at home to help reduce the muscular tension that builds up overnight.
1–2 minutes each side.
—
The Full Sequence
Done together, in this order:
- Neck Rotations
- Shoulder Circles
- Chin Tucks
- Trigger Ball Release
The sequence takes 10–15 minutes and is something I recommend doing 2–3 times a day if you’ve woken up with a stiff neck. Each exercise builds on the last — the order matters.
—
When To Get Assessed
This is general information and every presentation is different. If your symptoms aren’t settling within a few days, or if you’re getting pain or tingling travelling down the arm, that’s a sign to get a proper assessment rather than pushing through. Arm symptoms in particular can indicate nerve involvement that needs to be assessed directly.
Our physiotherapist Fardis has special interest in identifying what’s actually driving neck pain and stiffness, not just settling the acute episode, but understanding whether there’s an underlying pattern that keeps causing it.
—
To Bring It All Together
Waking up with a stiff neck is rarely just about how you slept. There’s usually an underlying pattern, whether that’s mid back stiffness loading the neck, prolonged desk posture reducing capacity, or stress tightening the upper traps overnight.
Gentle, progressive movement done in the right sequence is generally how it settles fastest. But if it keeps coming back, that’s the signal to get it properly assessed and addressed at the source.
If you’re based in Adelaide and want to understand what’s actually driving your neck pain, you can book an initial spinal physiotherapy session at The MSK Studio. The session covers a full history, an assessment of what’s contributing, and a clear plan for what to do about it.
We see clients at our Adelaide clinic:
- Clovelly Park: 1140 South Road, Clovelly Park SA 5042
