Yoga for Stress – Why Yoga Practice required for stressful job?
Sitting at a keyboard for hours can contribute to tightness in the hips and legs, as well as neck, shoulder, and back pain and discomfort. Working all day at a desk can also lead to unhealthy posture that is carried over when you go home, causing the back and shoulders to hunch down and the neck to protrude forward. Shoulder and neck pain typically result from injury to the soft tissues in the upper body. Yoga practice has shown proven benefits in relaxing both the body and mind.
BUTTERFLY POSE
Starting position – seated staff pose.
- Begin in a seated position.
- Gently bend your knees and press the soles of your feet together.
- Interlace your fingers around the pinkie-toe side of your feet.
- Lengthen your spine and broaden across your chest.
- Start pulsing your knees up and down for 30 times.
- Slowly as you inhale raise your arms up and as you exhale start folding forward at the hips as comfortable, keeping the spine long.
- Release your palms on the floor.
- Stay in this position for up to 10 deep breaths.
- Slowly come back and release the pose. extend your legs forward and lean back on your hands.
BENEFITS:
● A good stretch for the inner thighs, groins and knees, improving flexibility
● Helps in intestine and bowel movement
● Removes fatigue from long hours of standing and walking
● Opens the hips which become tight because of long sitting hours.
● regular breathing while performing the asana is a great way to release anxiety.
● The improved blood circulation because of practising this pose will help reduce fatigue and lethargy. People who stand or walk for long hours will especially benefit from this pose as it will enhance their energy levels.
RISK FACTOR:
● Any lower-back disorders,
● Any acute knee conditions like a torn meniscus or ACL (anterior collateral ligament of the knee) injury, one should avoid this pose.
PUPPY POSE
Starting Position – Table top
- Begin on all fours with your wrists directly below your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- Without changing the position of your knees and hips
- Walk your palms forward keeping your arms straight in front.
- Rest your forehead on the floor or a blanket.
- Allow your neck to fully relax.
- With every inhale be firm in your balance and as you exhale allow your chest to sink deeper.
- Stay for 5-7 Deep breaths.
- Slowly start walking your palms back and release.
BENEFITS:
● Stretches the spine and shoulders
● Calms the mind and energises the body
● Improves flexibility, especially in the spine
● Relieves symptoms of chronic stress, tension, and insomnia
● Strengthens and stretches the arms, hips, and upper back
● Being a chest opener improves the breathing patterns.
RISK FACTOR:
● when injured at the knee and the hip. Pressure at the knees may not be comfortable while practicing this pose.
● if having extremely stiff shoulders and arms. As this pose opens the shoulders, too much stiffness may make it difficult to enjoy the pose.
● In case of acute back pain take guidance.
PALM TREE POSE
Starting Position – Mountain pose.
1. Come to a comfortable standing position with feet hips-width apart.
2. Fix your gaze at a point in front of you.
3. bring your hands up over your head.
4. Interlock your fingers and turn your palms towards the ceiling.
5. Slowly as you inhale lift your heels off the ground. Lengthen the side of your trunk.
6. As you exhale maintain the length.
7. Stay there for 7-10 deep breaths.
8. Slowly release and repeat one more time.
BENEFITS:
● Counter a long day of contracting the back with this powerful back and chest-opening posture.
● improved mobility of the shoulders
● Increased blood circulation
● Promotes digestive function
● Detoxes the body
● Decongests the spinal nerves
● Nervous system stimulation
● Promotes clear breathing from the diaphragm
● Definition, openness and flexibility of your shoulders and armpits.
● Reduction of stress, anxiety and tension.
RISK FACTOR:
● Vertigo
● Severe cardiac problems
● Acute deep vein thrombosis
● Acute calf muscle pain 1.
LOW LUNGE
Starting Position – downward facing dog
1. Bring yourself in the final position of downward facing dog. Take deep breath in and as you exhale step your right foot forward. Make sure right knee and your ankle are in one line.
2. Slowly lower down your left knee and place your knee on the floor, right behind the hips.
3. Breathe in, and raise your arms up and lengthen your torso, breathe out sink deeper.
4. Keep your core slightly engaged throughout the practice to keep your lower back protected.
5. Remain in the pose for 5-7 breathes. You may also lift your knee of the back leg off the floor to perform a full Crescent pose.
6. For releasing the pose, keep your hands back to the floor and get back into the downward facing dog. Repeat the same process with your opposite leg also.
BENEFITS:
● This practice makes the gluteus muscles and the quadriceps stronger.
● It gives the hips and hip flexors a good stretch.
● It opens your shoulders, lungs, and chest.
● Low Lunge Pose helps you improve your balance.
● Increases your ability to concentrate and builds core awareness.
● This practice helps relieve sciatica.
● Low Lunge Pose stimulates the digestive and reproductive organs.
● If you practice this asana regularly, your body will be toned and energized.
RISK FACTOR:
● Don’t perform this Asana in case of High B.P. and knee injuries.
● Always Perform Asana in front of an expert person.
● Avoid this practice if students have injury at the shoulders, neck, or elbows.
● Patients who have arthritis of the spine can take this practice slow by sitting on a chair.
GATE POSE
Starting Position – seated cross legged
1. Very slowly come to keeling position, with your knees hip width apart.
2. Feet’s flat or toes tucked,
3. Shins parallel to each other.
4. Slowly extend your right leg to the right side, right heel on the floor in line with the left knee.
5. Make sure that the right knee is pointing towards ceiling.
6. Inhale bring your arms up by the side parallel to the floor.
7. Slowly as you exhale place your right palm on the shin or knee, depending on the accessibility.
8. Take the left arm over the head to stretch the left side of the trunk.
9. Make sure your left foot is grounded. Make sure you are not leaning forward. Yoga practices for stressful jobs
BENEFITS:
● Stretches the pelvic region of the body.
● Stimulates the functioning of abdominal organs.
● Loosen up the muscles of the back making it more flexible.
● Stretches calves, hamstrings and opens shoulders.
● Stretches the muscles that engage in the breathing mechanism.
RISK FACTOR:
● Avoid this practice if students have a knee pain.
● Avoid this practice if students have injury at the shoulders.
● Acute pain in lower back avoids this practice.
This can result from physical stress on these areas, emotional stress leading to stiffness, or sitting still for too long. Physical injury may also result in long-term soreness. One way to relax your muscles is through yoga postures – that’s because this physical activity is intense enough to keep you moving but gentle enough to prevent further strain. Yoga postures that target areas of tension can be an effective antidote to many desk-job ailments.
Thank you.