Practice These Yoga Stretches At Your Desk And Feel Better At Work

Work doesn't have to feel stressful - try a few yoga stretches at your desk! The stretches allow you instantly to relieve stress, enhance productivity and make you feel better. It takes two to five minutes to complete the stretches. Sitting longer hours in front of your computer can cause headache, backache and other problems. Repetitive stress injury is another common ailment. There are some simple stretches, twists and bends that can help you relax at your desk.

Arm Stretch

Sit tall or stand up at your desk. Stretch your hands over your head. Keep fingers interlocked or place one hand on the next. Keep the palms turned toward the ceiling. Breathe in and out. Then stretch both hands together to theright and then to the left. This stretch doesn't require much time or preparation.

Torso Stretch

Hold your hands together. Extend both hands forward. Raise your hands up toward the ceiling from that position. Inhale slowly as you raise your hands. Exhale as you bring your hands down. This will release the tension associated with hunching forward while working at your computer.

Spinal Stretch

Sit straight in your chair. Raise your hands parallel to the ground with palms down and fingers straight. Keep the palms at shoulder distance apart. Twist your upper torso toward your left. Don't move your hips. Hold as long as it is comfortable to you. Repeat on the right side.

Shoulder Lift

If possible, stand up. Keep your hands down. Pull your shoulders up toward your ears while inhaling. Drop your shoulders as you exhale.

Seated Hip Stretches

These stretches work muscles in the hip area. Sit up in your chair. Bring your right ankle over to your left knee. Place your left hand on your right ankle and your right hand on your right knee. Bend forward until you feel a stretch on your lower right side. Hold on for tenseconds. Repeat the exercise on the other side. Seated hip stretches may also be practiced while seated on the floor (or yoga mat). They are a series of poses starting with Badhakonasana.

Neck Stretch

Sit tall. Grab the sides of your chair. Stretch your neck to the left. Hold there for ten seconds. Repeat on the right side. This will relax your neck. Sitting in front of the computer with your head bent forward causes pressure on your neck. This exercise is helpful when your neck feels stiff.

You can also twist your upper torso to either side while sitting firmly on your chair. Another exercise is to bend forward while having a firm hold on your desk or your chair. Rub your hands together and place your warm palms on your eyes. This will relax your eyes. These are not actual yoga poses. After all, there weren't any offices, or even chairs and desks, when yoga was developed into a full-fledged science. However, these simple stretches, bends and twists can relax you while you are at your desk.

Poses For Better Posture

A good physical posture is everyone's dream. Sitting too long in front of the computer can cause a stoop or hunch. However, there are yoga poses for better posture. Lotus pose, badhakonasana and tadasana, among others, are poses for better posture. You can always focus on keeping a straight posture while sitting and standing. Make sure you keep your feet firmly on the floor. Keep your shoulders straight above your hips and your jaws parallel to the ground.

You can keep these tips in mind while at the office or wherever you go.