Stuck at work? Try these 5 stretches if you have a desk job

How do you sit on your chair? Do you sit and slowly slide down? Well, it happens to everyone. And that’s what contributes to bad posture. It is no surprise that sitting on a chair all day can be rough on your body and can cause pain and ache in different parts. To protect against this, you may think that a cup of coffee can bring back your energy and make you energized. However, that’s not a solution. To counter the pain and bad posture, you need to stretch your body. Fortunately, there are some chair stretching exercises that can relieve the pain you get while sitting all day.

Before that, we must understand which body parts need to be stretched. That’s why Health Shots got in touch with yoga expert Sarita from Yog Mansa, to give some guidance.

According to her, people nowadays are suffering from headaches, neck pains, cervical spondylosis, numbness in hands or fingers, and many more. Do you know the reason why? Well, maybe because of bad posture.

Though it’s common among people if you’re someone who sits a lot you need to stretch your body and muscles.

Here are your most important body parts to stretch:

1. Neck forward and backward

Start with your back erect and your head firmly over your shoulders. Inhale as you move your neck backward and exhale as you move your neck forward. Hold your chin against your chest for 15-30 seconds. Relax and slowly return your head to its original position. Bring the base of your skull toward your back and tilt your chin up toward the ceiling. Repeat the set at least 10 times. Do it on a daily basis.

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2. Neck rotation

Gently turn your head to the right, and then to the left. Keep in mind not to overwork your neck or push yourself to the point of pain. Before shifting your head to the opposite side, hold the stretch for 2 to 3 seconds. Two times a day, repeat this stretch 10 times in each direction.

3. Elbow rotation

This entails using the arms and elbows to move the shoulders. The mobility and strength of the shoulders are improved by Kohni Chalana. This pose also improves blood circulation in the neck, which helps with cervical spondylosis treatment.

4. Shoulder rotation

Straighten your spine and relax your shoulders. If you need to relax, take a few deep breaths. Rotate your shoulder forward and backward. You should feel a stretch rather than discomfort while doing this workout. Repeat this exercise with the other arm.

5. Spine twisting

Place your right hand on the back of your chair and your left hand on your right thigh. Exhale and slowly twist your upper body to the right, keeping your head in line with your spine and gaze behind you. Inhale and extend at the spine. Stay in this position for roughly 6 breaths. Increase the length of each inhale. Gently twist a little with each exhale.

Here are some of the chair yoga asanas, suggested by Sarita:

1. Chair gomukhasana

Place your right hand on the side of your chair, then turn your thumb towards the ground. Bend your elbow and position your right hand’s back against your back. Place your left hand in front of you, palm up, and extend it to the ceiling. Raise your left hand to the sky and bend your elbow. Place your left palm on the back of your neck. Focus on pressing your left palm and the back of your right hand into your back and pulling your shoulder blades together instead of clasping your hands together (drawing the elbows back). Continue to look forward and drive your heart forward. Take a few breaths and then switch sides.

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2. Chair Triyak Tadasana

Reach your arms to the sky and interlock your hands with the palms facing downward while sitting on the chair comfortably. Bend to one side, extending the opposing side of the body before returning to the middle and bending to the other side.

3. Chair Tadasana

Take a deep inhale and, on an exhale, use your sit bones to anchor your bodyweight into the chair. On the next breath, open up your chest by rolling your shoulders down your back, pulling your belly button towards your spine, and bringing your arms to your sides.

4. Chair Marichya Asana

Sit on a chair with your spine straight. Take a deep inhale and with exhalation turn right, place your hands on the handle of the chair with ease, your torso must be parallel to the wall. The neck-shoulder and torso must be in the same position. Take a deep inhale and exhale for a few seconds and with inhaling come out from the asana without any jerk. Repeat with the other side

5. Chair Marjari Asana

Sit on a chair with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your knees or on the tops of your thighs. On an inhalation, arch your back and roll your shoulders down, lowering your shoulder blades to your back. The cow position is what it’s called. On an exhale, round your spine and tuck your chin towards your chest, enabling your shoulder and head to move forward. The cat is in this position. For five breaths, alternate between the cow and the cat on the inhalations and exhalations.

If you feel uncomfortable in any asana come out from the asana and practice again, and do not forget to breathe while performing any asana.