Six Yoga Poses to Practice by your Desk

The advent of the technological age brings with it a host of desk-bound health issues – stress, irritability, fatigue, bulging bellies, tired eyes, cervical and backaches. Simple scrutiny of the human body indicates that our bodies were not designed to sit behind the desk or in front of the TV or in the car. How are we messing up? Research studies done for 8 hours sedentary desk-bound jobs with no physical activity indicate the risk of cutting short the longevity by nearly a decade. Prolonged sitting also increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, metabolic disorder (increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels), Obesity, Osteoporosis, Stroke, etc.

Eyes – It is said eyes are the window to the soul. Beauty and sparkle of the eyes are priceless. Trataka done every 40 minutes for just 5 to 10 minutes helps to relax the eyes. Rejuvenate the eye muscles with this useful kriya. Sit straight relax facial muscles. Gentle stare at your right shoulder without blinking then slowly take eye-balls towards the left shoulder. Now gently take eye-balls and stare at the centre of eye-brow and then slowly towards your nose tip. Close your eyes. Repeat slowly ten times. Also, you can gaze at a point on your desk and look out the window and gaze at a distant object. In the end, rub your palms to generate heat between palms and place them on your closed eyes to feel refreshed.

Neck – ISit up straight, slowly look up and down; feeling the stretch on your neck muscles. Look right and then look left. Repeat a few times. This helps to release the tensed muscles of the neck.

Shoulder blades – Bent the hand at your elbow and fingers placed on your shoulders. Rotate slowly clockwise three times and three times anti-clockwise.

Brisk Walk – Get up every forty to fifty minutes and take a brisk walk around the office or climb stairs up and down. Talasana is a highly beneficial yoga posture that helps to stretch every muscle of the body.

Abdominal – Bulging belly fat bothers everyone.

Hastapadasana – Get up and keep your back straight. Inhaling raises your hands above your head and now exhaling touch your hands to your feet tucking in your tummy. Release the tummy and inhaling come up and release the posture. Do a few times. Ensure tummy is empty so two hours after lunch it can be done.

Abdominal breathing or pranayama IV - Sit on the chair with back straight inhale and feel the tummy move out a bit and exhaling it will go in. Close your eyes and experience the deep breathing and diaphragmatic muscle exercised. This helps to reduce fat around the waist.

Lower Back – Spinal twist modified – ArdhaMatsyendrasana – Come to sit on the chair back straight, facing to the left. Exhaling twist your torso toward the left, hold onto the back of the chair, for supporting the spinal twist. Lengthen your spine with each inhale and twists with each exhale. Move your legs on the right side of the chair and repeat the twist on the right side.

Yoga Mudra – Sit on the chair do not take the support of the back of the chair. Sit straight, chin parallel to the ground. Clasp your wrist behind your back and keep elbows straight. Exhaling start to bent forward touch your forehead to the knee in the centre. Arch your spine inhaling come up and repeat a few times.