Office yoga at work or if you are working from home in this COVID-19 pandemic is an extremely beneficial way to improve your energy levels, relieve pain in that lower back or those sore shoulders due to being seated for a long while gazing at your screens. When you’ve been sitting for too long, and you’re ready for a stretch break, there are plenty of moves you can do right where you are.
It’ll help you feel better about sitting at your desk all day!
Sitting at a desk for hours on end places unnecessary strain on the spine, overstretches the mid to upper back, and shortens the chest and hips leading to neck, shoulder, and low back pain.
Try this simple office yoga sequence when you cannot get to your favorite class.
1. Seated Crescent Moon:
The side body tends to collapse when hunched over a computer, contributing to neck and shoulder discomfort.
Seated Crescent Moon fixes that so you can return to your seat with a taller spine, a clearer head, and sharper focus.
HOW TO DO:
1. Lift your arms overhead and stretch your fingers wide.
2. Lean to the right, taking 2 to 3 deep breaths.
3. Repeat on the left side for another 2 to 3 deep breaths.
2. Eagle Arm Pose:
Eagle Pose Chair benefits the following muscles and hence can be included in yoga sequences with the corresponding muscle(s) focus:
1. Arms and Shoulders
2. Upper Back
3. Knees
HOW TO DO:
Take a seat at the front edge of your chair with your feet grounded.
Cross a leg over the bottom and squeeze the legs together.
Then, cross the same elbow under the opposite elbow and squeeze.
Breathe 5-10 cycles.Slowly get back to your normal position.
Then repeat the pose on the opposite side.
3. Back Bend Arch:
Back bends strengthen the back muscles, stretch the front body and the shoulders and help you increase the flexibility of your spine, they can also compress the spine and put too much pressure on the lower spine, causing back pain.
HOW TO DO:
1. Sit on the front edge of your chair and interlace your hands behind your back with fingers facing down.
2. Position yourself up on fingertips and up to lift lower back.
3. Follow back bend all the way up chest to shoulder blades and open up entire chest.
4. Breathe and hold for 8 to 10 breaths, then release.
4. Seated Twists :
Tones and stretches the spinal muscles, relieves stiffness in the neck and shoulders,relieves arthritis in the lower back, tones the abdominal muscles, improves digestion and relieves rheumatism in the knees.
HOW TO DO:
1. Place your left hand on your right knee and your right arm over the back of your chair.
2. Turn to look over your right shoulder and hold for 60 seconds.
3. On the inhale, feel your spine lengthen and, on the exhale, feel a deeper twist.
4. Exhale back to center and repeat on the other side.
5. Wrist and Finger Stretches:
Desk work builds up tension in the muscles and tendons in the fingers, hands, and wrists, so extra blood flow to these areas is always appreciated.Try these stretches every 2 hours.
HOW TO DO:
1. Extend the arms to the sides or overhead and draw 5 to 10 circles inward and outward through the wrists.
2. Next, quickly spread the fingers and close the fists, repeating this 5 to 10 times to shake off any excess tension.
3. Place the hands one on your desk, palms facing up and fingers towards you, putting gentle pressure to counter stretch the wrist and the forearm.Alternatively, you may stretch each arm out and bend the wrist inward then outward, counter stretching with your other hand. Hold each side 5 to 10 breaths.
6. Assisted neck yoga stretches:
This warm-up pose releases tension from the neck, which is particularly important if you spend a lot of time sitting.
Avoid this pose if you have any issues or injuries to the neck or cervical spine.
HOW TO DO:
1. Begin by sitting up straight in a chair.
2. Slowly tilt your left ear down to your left shoulder.
3. Place one hand on your right ear and gently assist in this motion.
4. Stop when a stretch is felt in the muscles on the right side of your neck.
5. Hold for 10 seconds.Repeat 5 times and same for opposite direction.
