International Day of Yoga 2018: 9 Simple Workplace Yoga Poses You Can Do At Your Desk

There are times during office hours when you feel the urge to get up from your desk, take a walk and just breathe some fresh air. We all tend to get sleepy and tired sitting at our work desk and glued to our laptops. But it is not possible every time to leave the desk and relax ourselves. Though there is one simple thing we can do to re-energize sitting at our place - Desktop Yoga.

Yoga is extremely beneficial for both our physical and mental health. As June 21 marks the celebration of International Yoga Day, we give you a list of nine simple yoga poses you can do just sitting at your desk and feel refreshed instantly. These will also have a long term health benefit and will help you improve your overall lifestyle as well.

1. Neck Roll

Simple neck exercises are very beneficial for health.  Rotating the head clockwise and anticlockwise, up and down and titling it back and forth is a simple and effective exercise to relax your muscles at your desk.

2. Wrist and Fingers Exercise 

Continuous typing is as bad for your wrists as keeping them unmoved for a long time. To correct your blood flow and to exercise your wrists, you can perform simple exercises sitting at your desk. Stretch your arms, make a fist and rotate it clockwise and anticlockwise. Extend your arms overhead and draw circles inward and outward with the wrists.

3.  Chair Pigeon Pose

Sitting on our chair for long hours in incorrect or uncomfortable positions can cause multiple health problems. The Chair Pigeon pose is helpful in maintaining the correct body posture. Sitting upright in your chair, put both feet flat on the floor. Cross one leg over the other at a 90-degree angle, keeping it flexed. Take 5-10 deep breaths and then switch sides.

4. Shoulder Relaxation

To relax the shoulders and avoid muscle pain, shoulder exercises are beneficial. Bring your shoulders up to your ears and put them down with a slight jerk. Breath in and out as you do it.

5.  Marjariasana or Cat-Cow Stretch 

For prevention of pelvic pain caused due to sitting in a chair for long hours, you can practice the cat-cow stretch. Put your feet flat on the floor and place your hands on your knees. Inhale and arch the back, looking upwards, and then exhale and let your head drop forward.

6. Tadasana  or Tree Pose

For a quick and complete relaxation of the body, you can practice Tadasana and Tree Pose. Taking both your arms above the head from the sides, join the palms overhead. Exhale and inhale while you move. Get on your toes and stretch your body upwards while you continue to breathe normally. Make sure you pull your hands to the maximum.

7.  Pawanmuktasana or Abdominal Massage

Sitting in your chair itself, you can do the Pawanmuktasana. You have to bend one leg, interlock your fingers and hold your knee. Exhale and pull your knee up to the chest, hold for 15-20 seconds and release it as you inhale. Change sides.

8.  Sahaj Pranayama

Sahaj Pranayama is another simple yoga pose that you can practice for good health. Sit with a straight back, close your eyes and relax your body. Tilt your chin down, to touch your collar bone as you breathe in deeply. Hold your breath and count till 10. Then breath out, raising your chin back up.

9. Ardhamatsyasana  or Twisting the Torso

With the feet planted firmly in the ground and the thigh bones pressing into your chair, inhale to take your right leg up and cross it to the left side. Place your right hand straight on the chair. Hold your knee with left hand and press on the abdomen while exhaling. Inhale to take it up and exhale to bring it down. Repeat it with the other leg as well. Remember to keep breathing slowly and deeply as you twist.

These simple yoga poses can help you in avoiding various kinds of pain, muscles and pelvic related issues. They don't require much time or effort either. Once in every 2-3 hours, you can easily practice one of these Yoga poses and make a shift towards a healthier lifestyle and fitter body.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2018 11:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).