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By Bonnie Berk, RN, MS, EYRE
Use these Yoga exercises to help
ease the kinks, cramps, and
stiff muscles that come along
with working all day at your
desk:
1. Torso Stretch: Sit up tall in
your chair, or if possible,
stand up. Stretch your arms
overhead and interlock your
fingers. Turn your palms up to
the ceiling. Keep shoulders
pressed down. Take a deep
breath, and on the inhale,
stretch to one side. Exhale and
return to center. Take another
deep breath, on the inhale
stretch to the other side,
exhale and come up. Alternate
stretching side to side for a
total of three stretches on each
side.
2. Shoulder Relaxer:
On an
inhale, lift your shoulders up
to your ears and then exhale and
let them drop. Repeat three
times. Circle shoulders forward,
up, back and down. Repeat for a
total of four rotations or until
you feel your shoulders relax.
3. Energy Booster:
Stand, or sit
at your desk, with your feet
planted firmly on the ground.
Inhale and raise your arms out
to the sides at shoulder level.
Keep left palm up and right palm
down. Breathe deeply and imagine
energy flowing from your left
hand, across the chest and out
the right hand. Stay in this
posture for about five complete
breaths.
4. Chest opener: Bend your
elbows and take your hands
behind your neck. Interlock your
fingers, stretching your elbows
back, and opening up your chest.
Make sure your head stays in the
mid-line with chin tucked in and
that your eye gaze is on the
horizon. Take several deep
breaths and repeat two more
times.
5. Upper Back Stretch: Extend
both arms out to the sides with
palms facing forward and
stretching into your hands and
fingers. Breathe deeply and
bring your arms forward wrapping
the right arm over the left
until you are giving yourself a
big hug. Let head rest forward
and breathe into the middle of
your back. Stay for 3-5 breaths.
Extend arms and repeat with left
arm on top of right.
6. Shoulder Stretch: Wrap your
right arm around your torso and
place your right hand on your
left shoulder with your elbow at
chest height and facing forward.
Put your left hand on your right
elbow, and on an exhale, stretch
it toward the left, opening the
space between your shoulder
blades. Repeat on other side.
7. Upper Arm Stretch: Reach your
right arm into the air and on an
exhale bend the elbow and reach
your fingers down your back,
between your shoulder blades.
Place your left hand on the
elbow and on an exhale gently
pull the elbow to the left.
Relax your ribs and hold for
several breaths. Release and
repeat on the other side.
8. Torso Lengthener: Sit in your
chair and pull back away from
your desk, resting your palms on
the desk-top and extending your
torso. toward your chest. Feel
the stretch in your torso, hips
and under the armpits. (Can also
do facing a wall).
9. Twists:
Sit on your chair in
good posture with feet planted
firmly on the floor. On an
inhale, lift up through the
torso and on the exhale, twist
to the right with one hand on
the back of the chair, and one
hand on the side of the chair.
Hold for a few breaths and then
repeat on the other side. Repeat
on both sides.
10. Forward Release: Sit forward
on your chair with back straight
and open your legs a little
wider than your hips. Take a
deep breath and on the exhale,
lean forward from your hips and
bring your torso toward your
thighs. Take another breath and
release the back allowing your
head and arms to hang down
toward the floor. Feel the
breath in your back. Stay for a
couple of breaths and on the
exhale, pull the abdomen toward
the back and slowly roll the
torso back up to a sitting
position.
11. Ankle Circles:
Sitting in
good posture, extend the right
leg and lift the right foot off
of the floor. Circle the foot in
one direction a couple of times.
Wiggle your toes. Reverse
direction a couple of times.
Relax your foot and leg and then
repeat on the other side.
12. Lion’s Pose:
Sit in good
posture with your feet planted
firmly on the ground. Relax your
shoulders. Place your palms on
your knees, and spread your
fingers wide. Close your eyes
tight and purse your lips. Take
a deep breath in, and on the
exhale open eyes and mouth wide
while extending your tongue to
your chin. Focus your eyes on
your nose. Inhale, and bring
your tongue back into your
mouth. Repeat three times. If
you are feeling “lionlike,” when
you stick your tongue out, you
can try to make a “roar” sound
with your throat.
End your session sitting quietly
with your hands resting on your
lap. Keep eyes closed and face
relaxed. Take deep breaths while
you imagine breathing in
relaxation and exhaling tension.
Slowly open your eyes and notice
how you feel.
For more information about
Stress Management techniques or
Wellness at Work Presentations,
contact Bonnie Berk, RN, MS at
243-2525 x212 or send email to:
Bonnie@BonnieBerk.com
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