These five stretches can help fix your posture and relieve muscle tension

Art by Sai Shah

Majority of people working from home spend most of their time sitting down in front of a computer. We’ve mentioned before that doing this is dangerous to your health since it can reverse the effects of exercise. But a simple way to curb the impact of sitting all day is stretching. These movements help fix posture, regulate blood flow, and remove muscle tension.

It’s also a good tactic to take breaks while trying to meet deadlines. Here are moves you can do while working from home: 

1. Half downward dog stretch

The half downward dog stretch targets your shoulders, arms, hamstrings, calves, and Achilles tendon. It’s one of the most widely recognized yoga poses that can calm the brain and relieve stress and mild depression. The half downward dog stretch can also be your go-to pose if you need an energy boost in the middle of the day. 

2. Backward and forward shoulder rolls 

One effect of sitting down for long hours is back pain. If your job requires you to sit all day in front of a computer, do some shoulder rolls. You can do them even if you’re just sitting down—just move your shoulders as if you’re giving someone the biggest shrug in the world. This stretch releases the tension in your upper back and loosens your shoulder muscles.

3. Neck rolls

Neck rolls are dynamic stretches for those who often experience headaches or neck strains. The simple exercise helps you maintain good posture and relaxes the neck muscles and cervical spine, which is important if you’re sitting in front of the computer every day. 

4. Standing quad stretch 

For your lower back and quadriceps (the group of four muscles on the front of your thighs), try the standing quad stretch. This adds flexibility to the powerhouse muscles and releases tension in the lower back and hips. 

5. Open shoulder stretch

The open shoulder stretch counters the effects of slouching (we’re all guilty of it!) all day. It targets your pectoral muscles (the muscles attached to your sternum), which helps you attain proper posture and maintain full mobility in your shoulder joints and chest muscles. Doing this every hour throughout the day also allows you to take a breather and supply fresh air into your lungs.