When so many of us have to spend our days tied to a desk in the office, it’s not always easy to stay active and mobile. Sitting for long periods of time can cause our muscles to tighten and our joints to stiffen. Here are three of the best exercises that you can do at your desk to stay feeling calm and refreshed.
Segmented Cat-Cow
This exercise is designed to increase the mobility and flexibility of your lower and upper back. When seated in your chair, gently push your stomach forward and extend your lower back gradually so that you curve your spine one vertebrae at a time. Bend your neck back and lift your chest so that you are looking at the ceiling. You should feel this gently stretching your back muscles.
Diaphragm breathing decreases muscle tension and relaxes your nervous system. Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Feel your diaphragm expand and contract as you breathe in for four seconds, and out for four seconds. Repeat this five times and feel the nervous tension leave your body.
One of the areas that often become inflamed due to high tension is the wrists. They can make the whole body feel taut and uncomfortable. To release this tension, take your right forearm in your left hand. Then rotate your wrist first clockwise, then anticlockwise. After you have done this, repeat with your other wrist.
