Stress Reduction Exercises and Techniques
Yoga Stretches at Your Desk by Ann Pizer
It's great to do a yoga routine before or after work, but what about incorporating yoga stretches into the rest of your day? This is especially important for people whose jobs require them to sit at a desk in front of a computer for long hours, resulting in back pain and repetitive stress injuries. Just taking a few minutes to do stretches at your desk can relieve stress, increase productivity, and most importantly, make you feel better.
1. Neck Rolls
Take your shoes off before starting these stretches if you are wearing high heels.
Close your eyes.
Let your chin drop down to your chest.
Begin to circle your neck slowly, taking the right ear to the right shoulder, the head back, and then the left ear to the left shoulder.
Try to keep the shoulders relaxed and not to hurry through areas of tightness.
Take 3-5 rolls and then switch directions and take another 3-5 rolls.
2. Cat – Cow Stretch
Bring both feet flat on the floor.
Bring your hands onto your knees.
On an inhale, arch the back and look up toward the ceiling.
On the exhale, round the spine and let your head drop forward.
Repeat for 3-5 breaths.
3. Seated Forward Bend
Push your chair back from your desk.
Bring both feet flat on the floor.
Interlace your fingers behind your back.
Straighten your arms, drawing the interlaced fingers down.
Fold at the waist, bringing your interlaced hands over your back.
Rest your chest on your thighs and release your neck.
4. Eagle Arms
Take your arms out to either side, parallel to the floor.
Bring the arms forward, crossing the right arm over the left and bringing the palms to touch.
Lift the elbows while keeping the shoulders sliding down your back.
Repeat with the left arm over the right.
5. Seated Spinal Twist
Turn so you are sitting sideways in your chair.
Bring both feet flat on the floor.
Twist towards the back of the chair, holding the back with both hands.
Turn the chair the other way and repeat.
6. Wrist Stretch
Stand up.
Turn your hands so that the wrists face your computer and the fingers face the edge of the desk.
Lean in to the wrists and flatten your palms as much as possible.
Back off if you feel pain.
7. Standing Pigeon
Stand up.
Bring the left knee up and the left shin onto your desk parallel to the edge of the desk.
Take a forward bend over your left leg, bending from the waist.
Repeat on the other leg.
Other Resources:
- Video: How to Perform Basic Yoga
 - learn what yoga is and a few basic steps to get you started.
- Video: Yoga for stress management by Mayo Clinic Staff - Yoga offers many potential health and stress-reducing benefits. This video introduces you to five basic yoga poses. It's easy to follow along and try the exercises, or just watch to get a sense of basic yoga.
- Animation: Everyday Yoga by Ellen Serber - these exercises at your desk to help alleviate the strain of working at the computer. Anyone can do these simple exercises. They only take a few minutes and you can do them at your desk.
- Video: Office Yoga - Several videos to show you how to do yoga exercises at your desk
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