Sit and Stretch: the way to a happier you at the office by Loretta Benham – HealthyMeNow.Net

Your back and neck are screaming; your brain is swimming, you’ve been sitting at your desk for hours and you haven’t moved.  Its crunch time and it’s you and your computer for the any foreseeable future, so you wiggle in your seat and try to find a more comfortable “sitting” position. Nothing seems to work. The aches persist and you spend the rest of the day cursing your uncomfortable chair for turning on you.

How do you get relief? Try bringing some age-old wisdom into the modern work-place by doing a few yoga stretches. Stretches designed so they can be done anywhere, anytime. Taking a few moments to stretch will do your mind, body and soul some good. Not only can a few targeted poses focus your mind, but they can also help you in opening up your lungs, activating your breath, and in fact stretching your entire body without ever leaving your chair.

“Office Chair Yoga” helps combat the negative impacts of sitting by reducing muscle pain and tension and decreasing mental stress. Get started by incorporating some of these popular poses into your daily routine, right at your desk.

Headache and Eye-Strain:  Take minibreaks from your computer screen.  Refocus every ten minutes by looking out the window or around the office.

Each hour close your eyes, let your face soften then slowly roll your eyes in a circle while taking a few deep belly breaths then return to action.  For a more soothing relief, rub palms together very fast till they get warm, then place them gently over your eyes.  Softly hold them there till the heat dissipates.

Neck and Shoulders:  Neck Rolls, drop your head to one side and roll it slowly around in a wide circle, finding the tight spots, hold and breathe deeply, letting your breath release the tightness.

Angel Wings, interlace your fingers behind your head, relax your shoulders, smile, and as you breathe in stretch your elbows back, as you breath out close your elbows in front of you.  Let the tightness release slowly with each breath. Focus on opening your chest as you inhale and opening the back as you exhale. To energize the mind place the hands on the shoulder inhale and exhale at a faster pace while opening and closing the “wings”

Hands and Wrists:  Make it a habit:  Constantly stretch your hands and wrists. Place your hands in a prayer position; move in all directions pressing palms together gently. Interlace fingers bring arms overhead and rotate the hands, palms up, palms down.  Brings arms in front and repeat.  Keep your shoulders relaxed and Breath.

Sore Lower Back:  Good posture is the best place to start. Throughout the day take a moment to align your body properly by sitting up on your sit bones.  When sitting properly your spine lifts into a straight line all the way up to your head. Now round the back and slump forward.  Notice the difference?

Chair Cat/Cow:  Sit so your feet are flat on the floor.  Place your hands on your knees.  As you inhale raise your head up looking at the ceiling, arching your back.  As you exhale lower your chin to the chest and round the back, relaxing the head and neck. Move slowly, mindfully and deeply following the natural rhythm of the breath. Repeat several times.

Chair Twist:  Sit tall with your feet on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair and your back straight. Inhale and reach your arms overhead to press your palms together, keeping shoulders relaxed. As you exhale, drop your arms down as you twist to the left, bringing the right hand to the left knee and the left arm behind you to the top of the chair, look over your shoulder. Inhale back to center, repeat on your right side.

Adding a few chair yoga poses to your day will help you stretch and strengthen your body. In just a few minutes a day, you will feel yourself getting more flexible, more focused, healthier and happier.  For even more health benefits take a yoga class or start a daily home practice.  We would love to see you at Yoga at the Gardens and/or for Hiking Yoga at Life’s Good Ranch.  For more info on class options go to: www.HealthyMeNow.net  Hope to see you soon.  Namaste, Loretta