5 Yoga poses to help you stress less at work

Anxious about how stressed you are? RELAX. There are easy ways to find some peace.

Working in an office provides little opportunity to relax and de-stress during the work day. But disconnecting for a few minutes to decompress and center yourself will make you more efficient and productive. It’s important to take the time to care for yourself, so here are five yoga poses you can do when you have just a few minutes. Be sensitive to your range of motion, as with any exercise, and always listen to your body!

Gentle Seated Twist

Scoot forward in your chair as far as you comfortably can while remaining seated and supported. With your right hand, reach across your lap and place your hand on your left knee. With your left hand, reach for the back of your chair. As you inhale, elongate your spine. On an exhale, gently twist. Keep breathing, hold for as long as you feel comfortable. Repeat on the other side.

Chair Chest Opener

In the same position, reach both hands back and place them flat on the seat of the chair, palms down, fingertips pointing directly behind you. Elongate your spine, then on an inhale, puff up your chest and squeeze your shoulders together. Allow your head to drop back, lengthening your neck. With each inhale, lift your chest higher toward the ceiling. Hold for a few breaths and release.

Desk Wrist Release

Move away from your desk about a foot, and open your hands palm up in front of you. Bring the palms of your hands toward the front edge of your desk, then place your fingertips on the bottom edge of the desk. Anchoring with the downward pointing fingers, very gently lift your wrists away from your body and up toward the ceiling with an inhale. As you exhale, release. Repeat a few more times.

Seated Side Stretch

Bring your arms overhead and your palms to touch. Fingertips should be pointing at the ceiling and biceps should be beside or close to your ears. Flatten out your lower back and bring your chin parallel to the ground. On an inhale, elongate your spine stretching taller. On an exhale, lean out to one side, feeling a deep stretch along your side. Hold a few breaths and then repeat on the other side.

Standing Toe Touch

Stand straight with feet hip distance apart. On an inhale elongate your spine, reaching the crown of your head toward the ceiling, tucking your tailbone under. With an exhale, tuck your chin into your chest, bend your knees very slightly and roll slowly downward into a forward fold. Relax your neck, let your head hang heavy and allow your arms to dangle toward the floor. If your hamstrings are very tight, place your palms on your shins to relieve some of the strain, but continue to let your head hang heavy. Hold here for ten breaths, allowing fresh blood to infuse the brain and rejuvenate you while providing a much-needed release for your lower back.

Taking just a few minutes of your busy day to do these simple yoga poses will, over time, immeasurably enhance your well-being.