Do you spend long hours studying for exams, midterms and finals? Do you work in front of a computer all day long? If so, this blog post is for you! I’m going to help you find short yoga poses, breathing exercises and self-care techniques that will make you want to remember to take your much-needed breaks throughout your work day or study sessions. To learn more about recommended break times for students press here and for information on work breaks press here.
YOGA
After bending over books, computers or notes for long periods of time, you will want to counteract that posture. Simple backbends or heart openers will do the trick. The following is a great one because it can be done standing or while sitting in your chair.
- Interlace your fingers and press the palms of the hands outward.
- As you inhale, lift the hands overhead, stretching upward.
- As you exhale, press your hands toward the back of the room taking a slight bend in the thoracic spine or center of your back, not the lower spine.
- On an inhale, bring the hands back over the head and the spine back to neutral.
- On an exhale, stretch to the right side, bending from the waist.
- Inhale and bring the torso back to center.
- Exhale and stretch to the left side, bending from the waist.
- Inhale bringing the torso back to center and exhale to release.
- You can repeat these two more times.
If you need to stand up and move your legs after sitting for too long, try Wide-Legged Forward Fold (prasarita padottanasana).
- From a standing position, step the feet out to the sides about 3 to 4 feet apart.
- Place your hands on your hips.
- Point toes slightly in toward one another.
- Engage the legs, lifting the kneecaps upward.
- Take a deep inhale.
- As you exhale, keep the back straight and hinge from the hips folding forward.
- Keep the legs straight, but don’t lock the knees.
- Relax the head letting it fall heavy.
- Place the palms of the hands onto the mat, if the hands don’t touch the ground grab opposite elbows (left hand grabs right elbow, right hand grabs left elbow).
- Take three deep breaths.
- Bring the hands back onto the hips.
- Put a slight bend in the knees.
- Inhale and roll up to standing slowly, stacking vertebra on top of vertebra.
- Step the feet back together.
If you have the ability to lie down on the floor, Sphinx Pose (salamba bhujangasana) is a great heart opener.
- Laying face down on the belly with the feet hip distance apart and arms along your side.
- If you have lower back pain you can walk your feet out to the edges of the mat or just past shoulder width apart.
- Bring your chin onto the mat and press the tops of the feet into the mat making sure your toes are untucked.
- Bring your hands up toward your face with your elbows bent and tucked in along your side.
- Finger tips spread wide and pointing to the front of the room.
- Take a deep inhale and as you exhale engage the legs, begin to lift your chest off the mat and rest onto your forearms.
- Make sure your shoulders are stacked over the elbows and you are pressing into the tops of the feet.
- Your neck is in line with the spine or if it is more comfortable, you can shift your gaze down at the mat.
- Take 10 deep breaths here.
- On your last exhale slowly lower down and bring your right ear onto the mat, relax the arms along your side.
- Take 5 to 10 breaths here.
- Repeat two more times alternating ears while you rest.
PRANAYAMA
After sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen or book, our bodies can use some additional oxygen in our bloodstream. This can lead to a reduction in stress and tension, better sleep, and increased energy. A great breathing technique is Ujjayi breath or breath of fire. The Chopra Center discusses many of the great benefits of Ujjayi including how it helps to naturally reignite your internal fire and rejuvenate the body. Pranayama or breathing exercises can take a while to get comfortable with. If at anytime you start to feel dizzy or light-headed, stop the breathwork and continue with your natural flow of breathing.
- Come to an easy seated pose either in a chair or sitting cross-legged on the floor.
- Relax the shoulders and sit up nice and tall with the crown of the head pressing up toward the ceiling.
- Hands resting on the tops of the thighs if you are sitting in a chair or on the knees if you are sitting cross-legged, with the palms facing up.
- Bring a hand up to your mouth and pretend it is a mirror.
- Open your mouth and try to fog up the “mirror” with your breath as you exhale.
- Once you get the feel for how your throat restricts as you do this, you are going to close your mouth and place your hand back down on the thigh or knee.
- Continue to breath like you are fogging the mirror keeping your mouth closed.
- Once you get comfortable you can practice keeping the back of the throat restricted on the inhales as well as the exhales.
- This is often called audible breath because you will be making an ocean sound.
- Breath like this for 10 full breaths, closing your eyes if this feels good.
SELF-CARE
- Step outside and breathe in the fresh air.
- Take a quick walk outside.
- When you get home reward yourself for all you hard work. Choose one of the other activities below or spend sometime doing something that makes you happy and recharges your battery.
Yoga 2 Peaces 
I really enjoyed reading your blog! I definitely did a few of these yoga exercises and I feel a lot more relaxed. I never thought about getting involved in yoga before, but once I actually did the exercises it for sure peaked my interest. Self care is always needed 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it and I am so happy to hear that you tried out the poses.
LikeLike
Hello! I absolutely love your post about self care! It is such a cute way to show people how we can take care of ourselves. Something as simple as drinking water is a perfect example of self care! I also love your yoga post. I think yoga should be a part of my work out routine because I tend to always skip those couple minutes of stretching, so i was thinking of incorporating some yoga into my work out plan 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you so much! Let me know if you need some quick stretches for your workout routine. I have a few staples that are my go to if I only have a couple minutes after the gym.
LikeLike
I love your first blog post! The steps are very easy to follow and it helped me a lot! I enjoyed the fact that you included pictures in order to demonstrate your poses accurately. These steps and stretches can be practiced anywhere which is great for students!
LikeLike
Thank you so much! I’m a visual person and I’m glad it helped you to see the poses.
LikeLike
Wow, what a great post! I’m definitely bookmarking it.
One of my resolutions for 2020 was to start a journey to a physically and mentally healthier life and I am surprised that I stuck to it! I usually take Peloton courses, but I am interested in trying yoga to mix things up. This semester has been hitting me pretty hard and I hope that slowing down will help me relax.
I really appreciate how you include names of the poses as well as in-depth instructions because it can be hard to follow an instructor when you are at home. Your yoga knowledge is so impressive. Are you an instructor? Or just an avid yogi?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I’ve been a yoga instructor for almost 5 years now. I struggled with mental health for many years and yoga saved me. It’s important to me to be able to share yoga with others in hopes of helping them through whatever they feel they need it for. The stretching aspect of it is great for anyone, but especially people that work out or do any kind of sports. I hope you continue to find these posts helpful!
LikeLike
I really liked reading all of your post but I think my favorite part was the steps to take when we are doing the yoga posess you recommended. I have never myself done yoga but after I read this I did them myself and I have to say I really did feel more relaxed. I never really tried to do yoga before because I felt I never needed it, but considering I work and go to school I am going to keep up with your blog and see what other thing I can do to relax. The self care portion of the post was interesting and I have to agree with everything that is on that diagram. I think eating healthy and exercising really does improve and help us be more relaxed.
LikeLike
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m so happy you found the steps easy to follow. I always try to remember how overwhelming my first yoga class was when I’m teaching, because I want everyone to feel comfortable in what they are doing.
LikeLike
Hey there I really enjoyed reading your blog. I have tried some yoga, but I feel it is a little difficult, since I have cerebralpalsy. But i do take walks and try to relax.PRANAYAMA exercise seems like something I can try doing.
LikeLike
Check out my second blog post, it’s yoga poses that can be done while seated in a chair. Not every exercise is attainable for every person, but I’m hoping that everyone will find something helpful in each of my posts.
LikeLike
Hey! I often have to sit at a desk in front of a computer screen for long periods of time so I was really interested to read your article. I tried some of the yoga poses and they really helped me out. Not only did they get oxygen flowing but it also helped relieve some of my stress. I never tried yoga so it was a little difficult to focus at first but I’m sure it will get easier over time. I am going to continue to use these stretches, especially on long working days thank you!
LikeLike
I’m so happy to hear that these poses helped you! It does get easier to focus as you get more comfortable in the poses and you find what feels best for your body. Thanks for commenting!
LikeLike
Now that all my classes have been switched to online, i caught myself spending a series of long hours behind the computer screen. After reading your post, I’m considering trying out some of your tips and experimenting with some of the techniques you provided. Thank you so much for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish it was under different circumstances, but I hope it can help you through this.
LikeLike