6 Best Yoga Poses You Can Do at Your Work Desk

Whether you're a fan of yoga or not, it's always a good idea to incorporate a little bit of stretching into your work day. It's important to stretch in order to maintain good posture and avoid back and neck pain.

The best yoga poses to do at your desk (or anywhere for that matter) are ones that can fit into any routine. So, here are five yoga poses you can perform at your desk or in a conference room to help you relax and relieve stress. These exercises will help improve your blood flow and ease any tension built up by sitting at a computer.

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Seated Spinal Twist and 5 Other Yoga Poses You Can Do at Your Desk

If you have just a few minutes, try one of these fast and effective stretches. You can do some of them even while sitting at your desk. When the workday is done, you'll feel more relaxed.

1) Neck Roll

If you sit in front of a computer all day, your neck muscles may become stiff and sore. To reduce tension, stretch your neck muscles with active mobility yoga movements such as neck rolls, which help keep your neck flexible.

How should you do it?

• Take your shoes off before you begin stretching.
• Close your eyes and drop your chin to your chest and then circle your neck as you take one ear to the shoulder and then the other.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed, and do not hurry through tight areas.
• Do three to five rolls in each direction and then switch directions for another three to five rolls.

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2) Cat-Cow Stretch

The desk-version of the cat-cow is a great way to relieve the tension that builds up in your upper back, shoulders, and neck. It involves flexing your spine forward in a cat pose and then extending it upward in a cow pose to increase mobility and flexibility while relieving tight muscles.

How to do it?

• Sit with your legs extended, feet flat on the floor.
• Place your hands on your knees. Inhale deeply, arching your back and lifting your gaze toward the ceiling.
• Exhale completely, rounding your spine and dropping your head toward your chest. Repeat three to five times.

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3) Seated Forward Bend

The seated forward bend is an excellent pose for stretching your shoulders, hamstrings, and back. It also helps relieve pain in those areas, as well as in your lower back, hips, and neck.

How to do this posture?

• Push your chair away from your desk, place both feet flat on the floor, interlace your fingers behind your back, and straighten your arms as much as possible while drawing your interlaced hands down.
• Bend at the waist and bring your interlaced fingers over your lower back.
• Rest your chest on your thighs and lower your head between your knees to relax your neck muscles.

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4) Seated Spinal Twist

Spending too much time sitting can cause tension and weakness in your trunk muscles, leading to tightness and impaired range of motion. Spinal twists, such as this seated version, help combat the effects of prolonged sitting.

How to do it?

• Sit sideways in your chair. Bend both knees, placing both feet flat on the floor.
• Twist toward the back of the chair, holding the back of the chair with both hands.
• Turn yourself 180 degrees so that you are facing the opposite side of the chair to do another twist on the other side.

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5) Wrist Stretch

If you work at a desk for long periods of time and use a computer, you may develop carpal tunnel syndrome. To prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, try wrist flexion and extension exercises.

How to do it?

• Stand up and turn your hands so that the insides of your wrists face your computer and your fingers face the edge of the desk.
• Sit up straight, extending your arms and flattening your palms as much as possible.
• If that hurts, stop the movement.

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6) Standing Pigeon

The pigeon yoga pose is a great way to stretch your hips and relieve tightness. It can also increase your flexibility, mobility, and range of motion in your hips.

To do this pose:

• Stand up and bring your right shin onto the edge of your desk.
• Bend forward at your hips and reach toward your toes with both hands.
• Repeat with your other leg. This stretch is adapted from the pigeon pose.

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Takeaway

A yoga break for five minutes each hour is a great way to keep your body healthy, build focus and relieve tension. As people become more aware of the health implications of being chained to their desks, expect an increasing number of companies to provide yoga breaks as part of their benefits. And if they don't, use these six poses as inspiration to start taking your own breaks throughout the day.