Cervical Stretching
Stretching should feel comfortable. It shouldn't be "no pain or no gain." If it became painful by moving too far, you should ease up. You don't have to be competitive. It is not like "more is better."
Stretching would be a little painful if you stretch the tight muscle. You should feel it's somewhat painful but mostly feels good. While you are holding in a stretch position, practice good diaphragmatic breathing. As you feel like you are meditating, that's probably right.
Stretchings below help to reduce tightness from common muscles you tend to have tightness from regular daily activities. The following stretchings can be done anytime throughout the day.
Suboccipitals
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Put your hands together on the back of the head.
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Tuck the chin in and move the head forward. Make sure not to round the back.
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Keep elbows pointing down. Use the weight of arms to hold the head down. Don't tense arm and other muscles. Make sure to drop the shoulders down. Relax.
Hold for 30 seconds or taking 7 deep breaths
1-2 times a day or more
Upper trapezius
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Lean sideward with the tunk. Then, use gravity to move the head down sideway instead of tensing the neck muscles to bend the neck. You don't have to lean too far. It should be just enough to feel gravity to move the head naturally down sideway.
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Relax. Keep using gravity to hold the head down. Make sure to keep shoulders down.
Hold for 30 seconds or taking 7 deep breaths
1-2 times a day or more
Levator scapula
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Turn the head 45 degrees out. Put the hand on the back corner of the head and move the head down at a 45-degree angle. (It's about the position to look at your armpit.)
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Use the weight of the arm to keep the head down. Make sure to keep the back straight.
You are stretching the muscle at the back corner of the neck of the opposite side of the direction of bending.
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Hold for 30 seconds or taking 7 deep breaths
1-2 times a day or more
Scalene
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Place a hand on the front-lateral aspect of the neck. Put the other hand on top to reinforce. Then, pull the skin of the neck down toward the collar bone by moving hands down. Use the weight of the arms to pull.
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With pulling the skin down, tilt the head sideward away from hands and then tilt the head back to look at a ceiling.
You are stretching the muscle at the front-lateral aspect of the neck. Scalene muscles are somewhat painful to stretch. As you feel just about reasonable pain you are still somewhat comfortable, it about right.
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Hold for 30 seconds or taking 7 deep breaths
1-2 times a day or more