While the 60 to 90 minutes you spend on your yoga mat a few days a week certainly helps, it is no match for the chronic stress and tension you place on your body during the rest of the day in your desk job.
Sitting for long periods of time, say eight hours a day, five days a week (just an example!), can leave you stiff and achy.
Try this simple yoga moves and get relieved from office stress.
1. Seated Crescent Moon Pose
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.
Lift your arms overhead and stretch your fingers wide. Lean to the right, taking 2 to 3 deep breaths. Repeat on the left side for another 2 to 3 deep breaths.
2. 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.
Extend the arms to the sides or overhead and draw 5 to 10 circles inward and outward through the wrists. Next, quickly spread the fingers and close the fists, repeating this 5 to 10 times to shake off any excess tension.
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.
3. Chair Pigeon Pose
Crossing our legs while seated, especially when done on one side more than the other, can create imbalances in the hips and lower spine. Bring balance back with Chair Pigeon.
While seated in your chair, both feet flat on the floor, cross your right leg over the left at a 90-degree angle, keeping the foot flexed as to not place pressure on the knee. Maintain equal weight distributed between the sitting bones while staying in an upright seated position.
You should feel a gentle to moderate stretch on the outermost part of the right thigh. Hold 5 to 10 breaths before switching sides.
If you can set aside just a few minutes during your workday to take some deep breaths, clear your mind, and stretch your tight muscles with these yoga poses, your body will thank you, and you can move through your day healthier, happier, and more stress-free!
Source: DOYOUYOGA
