5 Yoga poses you can do from your desk!

It’s no surprise that spending 8+ hours a day sitting at a desk isn’t good for you and your body. Sitting in an office chair all day every day can lead to neck, shoulder and lower back pain. However, desk yoga could help to relieve stress and prevent injury. Here are five yoga exercises you can do from the comfort of your office desk…

1. Desk Yoga Seated Crescent Moon

Begin by lifting your arms above your head, connect the palms and extend your fingers wide. Carefully lean to one side and take 2-3 deep breaths before repeating on the other side. The Crescent moon pose gives a deep stretch to your sides, lengthening your spine and allowing you to continue working with better concentration and focus.

2. Chair Pigeon

Whilst sitting down, place one leg over the other at a 90-degree angle, flexing the foot so you don’t put pressure on the knee. Stay in an upright position and make sure you keep an even distribution on both seat bones. Hold for 5-10 breaths once you start to feel a gentle to moderate stretch in the upper outer thigh. Now repeat on the other side.

The seated pigeon pose opens the hips and chest and allows us to regain the balance we sometimes lose while sitting in our desk chairs.

3. Desk Yoga Standing Seal Pose

This one starts in a standing position with your legs placed 3-4 feet apart. Inhale the arms behind you, intertwining your fingers together. Next, squeeze your shoulder blades together before folding forward at the hips and bringing your arms in front of you. Hold your legs and arms straight and try to control this pose for 4-8 breaths.

The standing seal pose stretches both the spine and legs while opening the shoulders. It also improved mental function, exactly what you need mid-afternoon at your desk, by harmonising the connection between the heart and mind.

4. Desk Yoga Upward Dog

Begin this one in a standing position and place your hands roughly shoulder-width apart on the edge of a sturdy desk. Slowly walk your feet backwards while keeping your arms straight. Try to lean your hips towards the desk and open the chest as you do so. Hold the upward dog pose for 5-10 breaths. 

Posture can be greatly impacted while sitting over a laptop at a desk all day. This pose can help to open the chest and lengthen the spine, improving your posture.

5. Restorative Pose

This pose is slightly different to the others but is just as important. when work gets stressful, it is essential to restore your mind and ground yourself. Place your feet flat on the floor and cross your arms to your desk. Lay your forehead down onto your arms and breathe deeply for up to 5 minutes. This pose will allow you to unwind while destressing at the same time.

Here at Eternalbeing, we are super passionate about health and wellbeing, so we hope you find Desk Yoga useful! Head to the Eternalbeing website today to read another blog and see how you can improve your health.