I do yoga for 20 minutes a day and it relieves my neck, shoulder, and back pain

I found The Yoga Deck on my living room shelf in May of 2022, and I immediately asked my boyfriend about it. He said he didn't remember exactly where he got it, but he recommended I use it to make yoga feel more like a game.

Intrigued, I took a look inside the box.

According to the product's website, the deck was made for beginners and experts alike. Each card features an illustration and explanation of a pose or instructions for various meditations and breathing exercises.

On the same site, the creators encourage users to make their own routines that focus on their specific needs. So that's exactly what I did.

I didn't take my partner's advice until two months ago when I started experiencing bad pain in my shoulders, back, and neck.

I'm a 27-year-old travel reporter and drummer. Years of sleeping on trains and planes, whacking toms, and sitting in front of my computer have taken a toll on my body.

Before I started using The Yoga Deck, I had hardly left my bed in two days. I had aches and sharp pains from my neck to my shoulder blades. It was impacting my quality of life — and I realized I needed to do something about it.

Since then, I've aimed to spend a few minutes a day doing 3-5 poses every few hours. It typically adds up to 20 minutes a day. And over time, it relieved the pains I'd been enduring.

As Insider previously reported, yoga helps relieve back pain by improving your muscles' flexibility and endurance. Yoga instructor Jennifer Jens said flexibility "stops your muscles from pulling adversely against your joints."

Aside from drumming and walking around my city, this is the only exercise I get — and it's the only workout challenge I've ever taken on. Here are some of the poses that help my pain go away.

According to the card, the tree pose begins by standing up straight and raising one leg to your knee. Once balanced, raise your arms and stick them out straight, or raise and clasp them above the middle of your chest.

Then, slowly count to 10 and repeat the posture with your other leg up.

The card states that you start by standing up straight with your feet parallel.

Next, raise your arms and clasp them above your head. Then, flex your muscles above your knee while bending to one side. After a few breaths, straighten up, put your arms down, and drop your shoulders.

Lastly, repeat the pose on the other side of your body.

For this one, start by lying on your back with your knees up, the card says. Press your back into the floor and fold your pelvis up while flexing your butt muscles.

Then, lift your whole back up and raise your hips while keeping the weight on your shoulders and feet.

Hold this pose for a few breaths, and then slowly lower your back to the floor.

The card in The Yoga Deck calls this the cat and dog stretch, though it's also commonly known as cat-cow. It begins by kneeling in a "table position" with your arms lined up with your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Your back should be straight with your head facing forward.

Next, exhale as you drop your head and tailbone and arch your back, like "an angry cat," the card adds. To get to the next pose from here, inhale, raise your head, and let your stomach drop while curving your back.

The card suggests alternating between the two poses several times while taking deep breaths.

Twenty minutes may not sound like a lot, but committing to the poses every day has been challenging for me.

Over the last two months, I'll admit there have been days — even consecutive days — where I've completely forgotten my yoga routine.

But when I skip it, my pain comes back and motivates me to get back to the mat.