- Screen headaches
- Neck
- Eyes and jaw
- At your desk
Stretches for tension headaches from screen time
Find where your screen day headache seems to sit, then try the two or three gentle seated moves for that spot. Each takes about a minute, and none needs you to leave your chair.
By JPott Studios
About a 7 minute read
Does your head start to ache somewhere around the third video call, with a tight band across your forehead or a dull pull at the base of your skull? Stretches for screen headaches work by easing the muscles a screen day keeps tense: chin tucks and a slow shoulder drop for the back of the head, a side neck stretch for that band feeling, and a jaw release and a long look into the distance for tired eyes.
This guide works like a troubleshooter. Find where your headache seems to sit, then try the two or three moves listed for it. Every move can be done sitting at your desk, and none takes more than a minute.
Please read first. This is general wellness information, not medical advice, and stretching isn't a treatment for headaches. Move gently and stop if a move makes the headache worse, or causes dizziness, tingling or pain down an arm. If you get headaches often, or they feel different from usual, see a doctor.
Why do screens give you a headache?
Many screen day headaches are what doctors call tension headaches. The NHS describes them as a dull ache on both sides of the head, often with a feeling of pressure like a tight band, and sometimes with tight neck and shoulder muscles. They're very common, and long spells at a desk are one of the usual triggers.
Screens make it easy to stay in one position for hours. Your head drifts forward towards the display, your shoulders creep up as you concentrate, your jaw clenches when an email annoys you, and your eyes stay fixed at the same distance all afternoon. Add a skipped lunch or not much water and the ache has plenty to build on.
That's why stretching can help. It won't fix every headache, but it undoes some of what a long day in one position does. Start early, when you first notice the tension, rather than waiting until it's pounding.
Where you feel it, and what to try first
A quick guide to the troubleshooter below. Every move is done sitting down.
| Where it aches | Try first | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Base of the skull | Chin tucks, small nods | About 1 minute |
| A band around the head | Shoulder drop, side neck stretch | About 1 minute |
| Behind tired eyes | Far look, palming, blinks | About 1 minute |
| Temples and jaw | Jaw release, cheek circles | About 1 minute |
When the ache sits at the base of your skull
This is the classic screen neck spot, where your head meets your neck. It tends to tighten when your chin pokes forward towards the display for hours.
-
Chin tucks 30 seconds
Sit tall with your eyes looking straight ahead. Slide your chin gently backwards, keeping it level, until you feel a soft lengthening at the back of your neck. Pause, let go, and repeat slowly about six times. -
Small yes nods 20 seconds
Keep your neck still and make tiny nods, as if agreeing quietly with someone. The movement comes from the very top of your neck, just under your skull. Keep it small and slow. -
Look towards your pocket 20 seconds each side
Turn your head a little to one side, then drop your nose gently towards that side's trouser pocket. You'll feel a stretch along the back and side of your neck. Breathe out, come back slowly and swap sides.
If this is your usual spot, the full ten move routine in our guide to neck and shoulder stretches for screen time goes further, and is worth doing once a day.
When it feels like a tight band around your head
A band of pressure across your forehead or around the sides often comes with shoulders that have been hunched for hours. Start low, with the shoulders, and work up.
-
Shoulder drop 20 seconds
Breathe in and lift your shoulders up towards your ears. Hold for a moment, then breathe out and let them fall heavily. Repeat three or four times, letting them sink a little lower each time. -
Side neck stretch 20 seconds each side
Let one ear drift towards the shoulder below it, without lifting that shoulder to meet it. Hold the edge of your seat with the hand on the other side, so that shoulder stays low. Breathe into the stretch, then come up slowly. -
Slow shoulder circles 20 seconds
Draw big, slow circles with both shoulders, rolling them up, back and down. Then a few the other way.
When your eyes feel tired and tight
Staring at a screen for long spells can leave your eyes feeling dry and strained, and you tend to blink less while you concentrate. These moves rest your eyes and the small muscles around them.
-
The far look 20 seconds
Look out of a window, or at the furthest point in the room, and let your eyes soften on it. Many eye care professionals suggest doing this for about 20 seconds every 20 minutes. -
Palming 30 seconds
Rub your palms together until they're warm, then rest them lightly over your closed eyes, without pressing. Breathe slowly and enjoy the dark. -
Slow blinks 10 seconds
Blink fully and slowly ten times, letting your eyelids meet properly each time.
If your eyes often feel strained, it's worth having them tested. An out of date prescription is a common and easily fixed reason for screen day headaches.
When your temples ache or your jaw is clenched
Many of us clench our teeth while we concentrate, without noticing. The jaw muscles run up towards the temples, so a tight jaw can feel like an ache at the sides of your head.
-
Jaw release 20 seconds
Let your lips stay closed but your back teeth part, and rest the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth. Breathe out through your nose. That's the position to come back to all day. -
Cheek circles 30 seconds
Place your fingertips on the muscle at the side of your jaw, the one that bulges when you bite down. Make slow, gentle circles, then move up to your temples and do the same. Keep the pressure light. -
Easy open and close 20 seconds
Open your mouth slowly, only as wide as feels comfortable, then close it gently. Repeat five times. Skip this one if your jaw clicks painfully or locks.
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When it keeps building by late afternoon
If the ache arrives at the same point every day, prevention beats any stretch. A few small changes to the working day make a big difference for a lot of people:
- Stand up and move for a minute every 30 to 60 minutes. A walk to fill your water glass counts.
- Raise your screen so the top sits at about eye level, and bring your phone up to your eyes instead of dropping your head to it.
- Drink water through the day, and eat lunch away from the desk.
- Check the brightness. A screen much brighter or darker than the room around it is harder on the eyes.
- Do a two minute stretch at lunch, before the ache starts, rather than waiting until four o'clock.
A regular short break is easier to keep than a long one. Our guide to desk stretches for a stiff back adds a twist and a fold for the rest of your spine, and if your hands feel the day too, try these wrist and hand stretches for typing. If you'd rather be talked through a break, Gentle Range has a Neck & Shoulders routine with a calm voice guide and a moving picture to follow.
When is a headache not one to stretch away?
Most screen day headaches are uncomfortable rather than dangerous. But some headaches need a doctor, not a stretch, and it's important to know the difference.
Stretch it gently, or get it checked?
If anything on the right applies, stop stretching and get help.
Gentle stretching may help if it is
- A dull, familiar ache after screen time
- Pressure on both sides, like a band
- Worse with tight shoulders or a clenched jaw
Get medical help if it
- Comes on suddenly and severely
- Follows a knock to the head
- Comes with fever and a stiff neck
- Brings confusion, weakness, numbness or slurred speech
- Changes your sight
See your doctor too if headaches are happening more often, keep getting worse, wake you up, or you find yourself needing painkillers on lots of days. Using painkillers very often can itself lead to more headaches, and a doctor can help you find a better plan.
Questions about screen headaches
Can neck stretches help a tension headache?
For many people, gently easing tight neck, shoulder and jaw muscles makes a screen day headache feel less intense, especially if they stretch early rather than waiting until it's pounding. It won't help every headache, and it isn't a treatment. If headaches are frequent or severe, see a doctor.
What is the best stretch for a headache from the computer?
There isn't one best move, but chin tucks and a slow shoulder drop are a good place to start because they ease the forward head and raised shoulders that screens encourage. Add a gentle side neck stretch and a few minutes of looking into the distance.
Why do I get a headache after a day on screens?
Common reasons include holding your head forward for hours, tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, tired eyes, skipped breaks and not drinking much. Often it's a mix. A headache can also have other causes, so if the pattern changes or worries you, get it checked.
How often should I take a break to prevent screen headaches?
A short movement break every 30 to 60 minutes suits most people, plus a few seconds of looking far away every 20 minutes or so. Even standing up and rolling your shoulders once an hour is better than a long stretch at the end of the day.
When is a headache an emergency?
Call your local emergency number if a headache comes on suddenly and severely, follows a blow to the head, or comes with a stiff neck and fever, confusion, weakness, numbness, slurred speech or changes to your sight. Don't try to stretch those away.
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