Are you bound to be a couch potato due to desk jobs? A sedentary lifestyle often triggers shoulder stiffness, backache, or lack of concentration. The ultimate culprit is sitting in the same posture for a prolonged time. Long hours of screen time and lack of mobility take a toll on your health. Stretching at the desk is a bright solution to this!
While the world is confined in the virtual space, it is difficult to avoid desk hours considering the modern-day demands. It makes you inactive and exhausted, thus hampering the quality of work at times. The stretch desk exercises listed below can help you release muscle stiffness, enhance focus, and feel more energetic for the entire day.
Many experts and research studies have indicated that sitting in the same posture or place for a long time invites multiple health problems. It disrupts the blood flow in your body, leads to neck or shoulder spasms, and even affects your heart health.
With the help of regular stretching activities at a desk, it is possible to minimize stress levels as your physical and mental health are interlinked. It can provide you with a quick refreshment from the monotonous activity and help you keep going.
The impact of repetitive motions while working at a single place is long-term, and it slowly makes you more lethargic in a normal routine. Do you want to stay fit and active without compromising the desk hours? Here’s a tutorial of simple exercises to do while being seated at your desk. Keep scrolling!
Keep breathing while you do any of the below stretch movements at your desk to feel relaxed. Here’s a guide:
Begin by moving your neck towards one side of the shoulder, stay that way for 5 seconds, and then slowly roll your face towards the chest. Repeat the same movement for the other side of your neck and repeat it for at least 2-3 times. It can instantly relax your neck strain, and you can hang back on your computer screens for work and calls!
Remain seated with a straight spine posture and your feet towards the floor. Now, take your right hand towards the backrest of the office chair to feel the stretch. Hold the posture for 10 seconds and bring it back to normal. Repeat the same stretching activity on the other side. It will aid in relieving your back sprain and enhance mobility.
Begin by stretching one arm with the palm facing toward the ceiling. Pull down the palm with the other hand gently to relieve stress on your fingers, elbow, forearm, and wrist. Hold the stretch for 25-20 seconds, and then pull the hand downwards. If you constantly use a keyboard or mouse during desk hours, incorporating this exercise can be very helpful.
Sit straight on your chair with your feet on the floor and swiftly lift your shoulder towards your face. Try to take them towards your ears and roll backwards to feel the shoulder stretch for a few seconds. Now release them and repeat the ‘Deskercise’ for 10 times. It can quickly show you the outcomes of stress release on your shoulder and the upper back.
With your spine straight in a sitting position, raise your thighs with your knee getting straight. Hold the position for 5 seconds to experience the stretch and slowly bring down your feet to the floor. Repeat the same with other thighs, and you will find relaxation in your hip area. This exercise also helps in strengthening the core and fosters better blood circulation. If you have to sit for longer hours, it is an important desk stretch to include!
Sit with your back straight and place both palms on your knees. Now, slowly exhale while rolling your shoulders in the forward direction and touching the chin to the chest. It creates a cat pose on your back. The next step is to keep your hands over the hips and stretch your chest towards the front side while rolling your shoulder to the backside. It will create an arch like the cow’s posture. Continue doing both moves 4-5 times to enhance flexibility and release back stress.
Leave your screens and sit straight with your feet touching the floor in a neat posture. Now, raise your left arm over the head and try to lean it towards the right side, creating a stretch in your torso. Remain in the same position for 10 seconds, then slowly release and repeat the same on the next side. Stretching to the sides while being seated helps reduce stiffness on your spine as well.
Kneel towards the edge of your chair and stretch one leg with the knee straight and the heel touching the ground. Bend forward, but keep the back straight to experience a mild stretch on your thigh. Retain this posture for 20-30 seconds and then repeat the same exercise with another leg. Practicing this type of stretch is very beneficial in allowing the hamstrings to loosen up and getting relief from your lower back pain.
Not just your body, but even your eyes need a break after a continuous sneak into the laptop screens for several hours. After every 30 minutes, move your eyes off all the digital devices and try to look at a far-away tree or bird for at least 15 seconds. If there’s any nature’s bloom around, try to lock your eyes on it for a few seconds. It helps minimize digital eye strain, which is a common issue these days.
Stretching at the desk is essential to give yourself a small break and gear up for the next set of tasks with better focus and energy. This is why many modern-day offices and work spaces dedicate a gym or indoor sports lounges for employees to unwind. Try to keep moving while you are on the phone or having a virtual meeting.
Instead of giving work excuses to avoid the workouts, incorporate movements into your desk schedules for better health and fitness. It also calms down your mind and enhances overall productivity levels.
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