Sitting for Long Hours? Stand Up, Stretch & Do These Yoga Poses

Sitting is the new smoking. So stand up, stretch and do these exercises.

Sitting for long hours? Stand up, stretch and do these yoga poses.

(Photo: Fit/Ankita Das)

There’s reams written about how sitting is the new smoking. With most of us in offices spending large parts of our day plonked on our chairs, we’ve created a ticking time bomb of health problems from heart disease to diabetes. Our posture, our spine, neck and hands, everything is out of shape and is crying out for attention.

So how do we address our ‘office body’? Yoga guru Zubin Atre from Atre Studios in Delhi has created a series of yoga exercises designed for folks like us.

To start with, take a break, stand up, stretch. You can do these poses in the middle of your work day, waiting for a meeting, waiting for your cab, standing by the coffee machine. Anywhere really!

Posture One

Sitting for too long can slow down your metabolism.

Shake your arms and stand tall. Breathe out, raise your arms up, press your toes down and lift your heel up. Look at a point above your eye level and continue to breathe in and out.

Inhalations and exhalations are soothing and relaxing. Breathe out, lower your arms down, ease down and relax completely.

Posture Two

A new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine claims sitting for long periods ups your risk for early death

With equal weight on your heels raise your right arm up, tilt your body down to the left side, stretching the right side of your torso. Breathe in and slowly get your body up and back.

Repeat on the other side.

Also Read: Can you get fit just by standing?

Posture Three

An average adult needs moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for two hours and 30 minutes every week.

Interlace your fingers on top of the right knee and pull it closer towards your chest, moving your right foot in a circular motion. Continue breathing in and out. Make sure your spine remains upright and tall. Breathe in and out and relax.

Repeat with the other leg.

Posture Four

There is limited evidence a standing desk will reduce the risk of ailments caused by sedentary lifestyle

Standing tall with equal weight on both your feet interlace your fingers at the back, squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other and slowly lift your hands away from the tailbone. Turn your hands away from the body and lift your arms further up. Remember to squeeze your shoulder blades towards the centre of the spine.

When you breathe out, slowly bring your hands down and relax.

Also Read: Sitting for too long? Your chair can kill you

Posture Five

Getup and walk around every half hour and do these exercises every hour.

Raise you right arm over your head. Bring it gently over the left shoulder. Now bring your left arm up and grab the right elbow. Tilt your body down to the right side, pushing your hip further to the right. Breathe in and come back to the centre.

Lower the arms down and relax. Repeat on the other side.

When you are in office, remember to take a break every hour and to stand up and stretch!

Producer: Vaishali Sood

Editor: Kunal Mehra

(Zubin Atré has designed five structured series of asanas derived from his experience over the years and his understanding of anatomy and kinesthetics . His studio AtréYoga is based in Delhi)

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