When I moved to New York seven years ago, one of the first things I did was sign up for a yoga membership. I loved the energy of the city and my communications job, but my (self-admitted) type A personality needed an outlet to slow down in this fast-paced city and work environment. And, it’s not just me feeling the pressure – a recent Nielsen poll showed eight out of ten American workers are stressed out about at least one thing at work.
Over time, yoga has become an important part of the day for me – whether it’s a 7am class before work or practicing pranayama at my desk before a presentation. It helps me cope with work and life stressors more than I could have imagined. Given so many folks are stressed at work, I sought out one of my most astute yoga teachers, Angela Botta, to share tips to help others “zen out” without leaving their desks. See below for suggestions to help us all with some of the most “ache” prone parts of the body.*
No mat required for these simple movements to reduce stress and tension – although, maybe these will inspire you to get to a yoga class!
Desk 101: First things first. Angela recommends taking stock of your desk set-up. A proper set-up ensures your body is aligned and can help alleviate strains in parts of the body where we often collect stress (e.g., hips, neck, shoulders, wrists). Adjust the height of your chair so your feet rest comfortably on the ground. Keep your chair in a position where your spine is erect, not slouching. Place your screen at eye level so you don’t have to tilt your neck up or down to view it.
Shoulders: Students always ask Angela for tips to relieve stress around the shoulders. To stretch/loosen the shoulders – get up from your seat, interlace your fingers behind your lower back and slowly extend the fingers back, straightening your arms. Focus on broadening your chest by bringing your shoulder blades toward the middle of your back. Also try garudasana (eagle) arms. Start by taking your arms out to your sides at shoulder height. Cross the right elbow under the left, parallel to your chin, and bring the palms together. Take several deep breaths and switch sides.
Neck: Our smartphones show us where our friends are, help us navigate and keep countless other life details at our fingertips – awesome! Yet, Angela encourages us all to take a break from our phones, as they wreak havoc on our necks – especially as our heads seem perpetually tilted over a little screen. This can add strain to our neck, which ideally should sit atop your shoulders – not tipped in front of them. To get your neck back on track, try tilting your head to the right and bringing your right ear toward your right shoulder. Then do the same on the left side, and be sure to keep your shoulders relaxed. Hold each side for five breaths. Then make big circles with your head by tipping your chin to your chest and circling your neck slowly. Take your right ear to your right shoulder, tilt the head back, and finally tilt the left ear towards the left shoulder. If you hit a “sticky” spot, explore that area and don’t rush through it.
Wrists/thumbs: Using computers and smartphones all day can put our wrists and digits, especially our thumbs, at risk of repetitive stress injuries (RSI). The 27 bones in our hands are meant for movement, but repeating the same tasks (e.g., thumb swipe on your iPhone, typing emails at the keyboard all day) can cause aches and pains that may lead to arthritis later in life. To avoid this, try making circles in both directions with your wrists to stretch out wrists and forearms. Also, move each finger in a clawing action that starts with your fingers open and ends with them closed in a fist. These will increase overall mobility and counteract any movements in only one joint.
Outer hips/hip flexors: Sitting at a desk can tighten the outer hips and hip flexors (group of muscles in your thighs and inner thighs); areas of the body that tend to collect our stresses and emotions. There are some easy ways to release tightness in these areas. For outer hips, cross your right ankle over your left knee and bend forward at the waist. Repeat this on the opposite side. You should feel a nice stretch on the outside of your right hip. You can do this seated or standing near a wall. Check out the seated hip rotator stretch image. To stretch the hip flexor, take your right ankle in your right hand behind your butt while standing. Hold on to a desk or chair if you need help with balance. Then switch to the other side.
Most importantly, don’t forget to breathe! Sometimes a deep breath and a pause during a task at hand can make all the difference. When things are fast-paced, take a moment to close your eyes and work to match the length of your inhales with that of your exhales – this is called sama vritti. By keeping inhales and exhales even, we help balance our nervous system and focus attention back to the moment. Simple, yes, but sometimes the simple pauses are what makes the day a bit more manageable.
From: CCC Vital Signs