Stretches and breathing patterns for people with desk jobs

Hurting back and a stiff neck can be a restriction in your efficiency at work. However, by practicing these poses at your desk, you can minimise discomforts thus making it easier for you to focus.

Sitting for straight eight hours at that desk may slowly start killing you. While you may think that work-related stress is crook, constantly sitting on that chair is another danger.

Yoga postures can be an effective corrective to various desk-job ailments, and also help address the damaging stress of a high-pressure job by calming the mind. Bonus: you can do them all at your desk!

Mountain pose (Tadasana)

To improve your body posture and strengthen thigh, knee and ankle muscles, stand with your feet together and arms at sides. Lift and spread your toes and then lay them gently on the ground. Without pushing your lower front ribs forward, lift the top of your breastbone straight towards the ceiling. Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to one minute, breathing easily.

Neck stretches

To counter neck discomfort, sit with your legs crossed, lean the head to the right and extend the left arm and hand towards the ground until you feel a stretch on the left side of the neck. Breathe deeply and hold for a few seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Sitali breathing

The sitali breathing pattern releases tension and while helping relieves stress and anger. Sit with crossed-legs and closed eyes. Stick your tongue out and curl up its outer edges. Inhale through the mouth, letting the air pass over the tongue and then exhale through your nose. Continue for three minutes.

Elbow circles
For relaxed shoulders, extend your arms to the side and place hands on shoulders, bringing the elbows together. Slowly circle the elbows back over the head making a circle and the elbows will meet again in front of the body.
Then circle in the opposite direction with the elbows dropping towards the chest making a circle and the elbows will meet again in front of the body, repeat 5-10 times.

Wrist release
While standing, place both palms on the desk. Slowly flip the palms face-up and fingers pointed towards the body and shift the shoulders back from over the wrists to over the fingers. Do this with hands completely glued to the table for 10 seconds and then meet back with shoulders over the wrists. Repeat with palms faced-down and fingers pointed towards the body.