One common problem that all of us deal with in this ever-changing chaotic urban lifestyle is stress and anxiety. There are multiple reasons behind this stress and anxiety. One of the major reasons for increased stress and anxiety in humans is that we spend more time sitting at our desks and less time doing physical activities. Yes, believe it or not, researches have proved that people who spend eight to ten hours sitting on their desks tend to get more depressed than those engaged in physical labor. Lack of muscle movements increases the flow of lactic acid in our bodies, because of which we feel lethargic and stressed. Here in this article, we are going to share 7 quick stretches for stress relief.

Seven quick stretches for stress relief

What if you spend most of the day sitting on your office table and by the time you reach home you become exhausted. There are numerous benefits of stretching. These seven quick stretches for stress relief will help you keep your stress levels at bay.

Child’s Pose

As the name suggests, this exercise is where people sit in the pose a child is generally seen sitting. It is a very effective stretching exercise. The lower back is a part of the body that holds maximum tension. A child’s pose is one of the best quick stretches for stress relief.

Procedure

• It would help if you kneeled on the floor with your feet together and your knees open to create a V-shape.
• Then you need to sit back, resting on your butt, reaching towards the heels.
• The hands should be placed in front to make sure your chest is lowered on the ground.
• Once you bend down, hold for five seconds and breath in deeply.

Seated Spinal Twists

If you feel body pain after sitting for long hours on your desk, you don’t need to get up. These quick stretches for stress relief will help you get over your stress and anxiety.

Procedure

As the name suggests, you don’t need to get up from your chair to perform this exercise.

• Sit down on the side of the chair and place your feet flat on the ground.
• The right hand should be placed at the back of your seat,
• Hold the backrest of the chair with your right hand. The left hand, on the other hand, should be placed on the right thigh. Breath-in by lengthening your spine and breath out by rotating your torso to the right.
• It would be best if you repeated the same motion on the other side.

Happy Baby

A happy baby is a yoga position. This is one of the most widely practiced quick stretches for stress relief. If you have recently started having back pain, this exercise will be very effective for you.

Procedure

• You need to first lie on your back and lift your knees towards your chest.
• After you lift your knees, grab the bottom of your foot.
• Then it would help if you pulled your knees in the direction of your chest and armpits.

Lying glute stretch

If you have been sitting still all day, this particular stretch is for you. It moves your lower back.

Procedure

• If you are sitting, you need to find a spot to perform this exercise and lie down.
• It would help if you crossed your right foot on your left knee while the knees of your left leg are bent down. Also, make sure your feet are placed on the floor flat.
• Hold the legs with your hands placed on the back of the knee and bring them towards the chest.
• You need to repeat the exercise after every 15 seconds.

Wide-Legged forward fold with chest expansion

This stretch mainly targets your upper and lower body. It is the best quick stretches for stress relief. These exercises are specially designed for those who sit on the desk for long hours;

Procedure

• Stand with your legs wide apart.
• Hold a towel behind you with both hands.
• Breathe in while you roll your shoulders back and down.
• Breathe out and slowly move forward. The hands should be moved forward to draw your knuckles towards the ceiling.
• For a better grip, you need to place your hands on your hips and bend forward.

Chest Opener Stretch

There comes a time when you badly need a neck release. This is a time when this quick stretches for stress relief become useful. This is a stretch that promotes proper posture and releases tension through your chest. It maximizes oxygen and blood circulation.

Procedure  

• You need to clamp your hands behind your back.
• Squeeze your upper shoulder blades behind each other.
• Push through the chest with your spine straight.

Rotational neck stretch

These are the most common and quick stretches for stress relief. When tension starts weighing heavily on you, the neck starts weighing heavily on you. In this scenario, this stretch releases tension and makes you feel easy.

Procedure

• You need to lower your chin towards the armpit and rotate your chin.
• Your hands should be placed at the back of your head for better results.
• Make sure you rotate your chin clockwise and anti-clockwise.
• Repeat this step in sets of five to 10 in each set.

Final Takeaway

Therefore if you have a desk job that does not let you get up from your desk the whole day, don’t forget to move your muscles periodically with these quick stretches for stress relief. These stretches keep your body fit and don’t let tension hover over you. It also helps you keep your anxiety at arm’s length. Apart from these exercises, you can also choose to eat fresh fruits that give you antioxidants. These fruits also help you control your stress levels. Remember, you can only work to the fullest of your productivity if you don’t let stress bog you down.