15-Minute Relaxing Yoga for Tight Shoulders

In yoga, the hips are commonly talked about as a place where we store tension and difficult emotions. However, there’s another, less-talked-about area that also tends to hold physical and emotional stress—the shoulders. Perhaps you’ve noticed that long hours hunched over your computer and staring at the screen, along with periods of overwhelm, cause your shoulders to creep up toward your ears and feel increasingly difficult to unclench and relax. Some people even experience tension headaches as a result.

That’s where a short and slow yoga practice can make all the difference. This 15-minute yoga for tight shoulders sequence guides you in pairing deep breaths with gentle movements so you can honor your body—and whatever emotions arise. The practice is designed to help you release physical tension from your shoulders, neck, and upper back, as well as let go of any lingering stress.

15-Minute Relaxing Yoga for Tight Shoulders

You’re always welcome to rest, modify, or skip anything that doesn’t feel supportive.

1. Child’s Pose With Side Stretch

Come to your hands and knees. Widen your knees and lower your hips toward your heels. Reach your arms in front of you as you lower your forehead toward the mat in Child’s Pose. Take several breaths here.

Slowly walk your hands toward the right until you feel a stretch along your left side. Breathe here. Walk your hands back to center, and then slowly toward the left until you feel a stretch along your right side. Breathe here. Walk your hands back to center.

2. Child’s Pose to Thread the Needle

From Child’s Pose, bend your right arm and gently press the back of your hand against your lower back. Take a few breaths here.

Reach your right hand toward the ceiling, then reach underneath your chest in a variation of Thread the Needle. Take a few breaths here. Reach your right hand toward the ceiling and return to Child’s Pose.

Repeat the Thread the Needle variation on the left side. End with both arms reaching forward in Child’s Pose.

3. Puppy Pose

Come to your hands and knees with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips stacked over your knees. Walk your hands forward, letting your chest melt toward the floor in Puppy Pose. Take several breaths here, then slowly come to lie on your belly.

4. Broken Wing

From lying on your belly with your legs straight, reach your right arm straight out to the side, in line with your shoulder, with your palm facing down. Bend your left elbow and plant your left hand on the mat beneath your shoulder. Press into your left palm, then slowly roll onto your right hip, only going as far as feels comfortable. Bend your left knee and plant your left foot on the mat behind your right knee in Broken Wing. Take a few breaths here. Slowly roll back onto your belly.

5. Prone Thread the Needle 

Place your left hand on the mat a few inches in front of your chest. Press into your left hand as you reach your right arm underneath your chest and rest the right side of your head on the mat in Prone Thread the Needle. Take a few breaths here.

Repeat Broken Wing and Prone Thread the Needle on the opposite side.

6. Shoulder Circles

Come to a comfortable seat on the mat. Slowly roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion. Repeat that a few times, then switch directions. When you’re ready, return to a neutral position.

Take one final breath in and out and notice whether you feel a slight sense of release in your shoulder muscles.