5 Yoga Poses to do After Sitting at your Desk All Day
So many of us spend our day behind a desk… and whether it’s a day of working away on the computer or zoom meetings, Yoga is the perfect way to unwind.
Are you sitting for most of your day? Behind a desk, a wheel, or working from home due to the pandemic?
While most of us know that moving our body is crucial, did you know that sitting for an extended period (like during your 9-5) can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and even contribute to a shorter life span?
Not to mention all the discomfort associated with your bottom glued to a chair for hours a day. The stiffness in your back or neck, pain in your shoulders, a weak core and bad posture… are all common problems for those spending a large part of their day being sedentary.
Can you relate to this? Look no further! Let’s undo the damage of your “mandatory sitting” and introduce to you 5 Yoga Poses to do after sitting at your desk all day, wherever it may be!
Cat and Cow Pose
Start in tabletop position with a neutral spine. As you inhale, arch your spine drawing your belly towards the floor and your head and tailbone up to the ceiling. As you exhale, pull your belly in as you round your back upward, tucking your head and tailbone down and inward. Continue to move through these poses, gracefully transitioning in sync with your breath.
Upward-Facing Dog
Lie face-down on your mat with the tops of your feet on the mat, hip-width apart. Place your palms flat on the ground alongside your chest and lift your body off the mat. The only things touching the mat should be the tops of your feet and the palms of your hands. Make sure your arms are fully extended with your wrists, elbows and shoulders aligned. Look straight ahead with a neutral neck, breathing deeply.
Ragdoll Pose
Standing hip-width apart, fold down at your hips and reach for your toes, keeping a micro bend in your knees. As you inhale, lift and lengthen your torso; and as you exhale, release further into the bend. Grab opposite elbows and let your head hang loose.
Seated Half Spinal Twist
Start in a seated position with your left leg extended and your right foot flat on the ground on the outside of your left knee. Place your left arm on the outside of your right leg to use as leverage as you exhale and twist to the right. Your right arm can reach behind you. As you inhale, lengthen your spine and as you exhale, twist a little deeper. Repeat on other side.
Child’s Pose
Start on your hands and knees in tabletop position. Separate your knees hip-width apart and exhale as you sit your glutes back toward your heels. Fold your torso over your thighs and reach your arms straight out in front of you or resting along the sides of your body. Allow your forehead to relax on the mat, block, or pillow as you rest in this pose.
Find yourself needing more then a few poses, perhaps an escape from the desk life? Start at Anamaya in the beautiful Costa Rica. While it means a few more moments on your computer, booking a trip to paradise in Costa Rica is just what you need to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul.
