Yoga while working remotely!

Add these easy exercises to your daily routine if you are working from home.

Owing to the pandemic, working from home has become the new normal. To make the most of this scenario, you need to be in your best shape. Here are some yogic exercises that you can do to end a long tiring day on a healthy and refreshing note. Make sure you dress comfortably for these and have a mat underneath you.

Yogic warm-up: Before doing any asana, make sure you warm-up your whole body. For this, stand comfortably and slowly rotate your neck, then the shoulders, and then the wrists. Next, stretch your arms forward and alternate between opening your palms wide and making a fist. Going further down the body, gently bend your spine forward and backwards and then move on to hip rotations and finally rotate your ankles. The purpose of warm up is to avoid injuries during asanas, so try not to strain your body. You can begin with just 5 rounds each of clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog pose): Form a tabletop position and try to push your hips up and back, while straightening your legs. As you engage your arms, remember to keep your shoulders away from your ears. This will give a good stretch to your hands, calves, arches, hamstrings, and shoulders. You will also be able to build strong arms and legs. Furthermore, it helps in fighting stress and mild depression.

Naukasana (Boat pose): While lying on your back, keep your feet together and arms beside the body. Breathe in and as you exhale, lift your chest and feet off the ground. Stretch your arms towards your feet. This exercise not only strengthens the lower back but is also good for your stomach and leg muscles. You will feel more energetic after this pose and it will also help in toning your waist.

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose): You will need to lie down on your stomach for this exercise with your feet slightly apart. Now keep your palms underneath your shoulders and lengthen through your tailbone. Slowly begin to pull your chest forward and up. Ensure that your elbows are close to your body and lengthen your arms as much as possible. Also, make sure you look up. This will help release the tension in your shoulders and back. This also helps reduce fatigue and stress.

Marjaryasana (Cat pose): For this asana, keep your hands-and-knees in a tabletop position. Now pull-in your core muscles towards the spine. This will round up the spine like a cat. Also, curl your head gently towards the floor. Make sure your knees are directly under the hips and the hands are directly under the shoulders. You can pair this up with bitilasana (cow pose), wherein you sink belly towards the ground to create an arch in the back. This is an excellent exercise for your back.

Apart from these, even simple things like taking regular breaks to stretch your body and keeping yourself properly hydrated can go a long way in improving your well-being. If you are able to add a 5-10 minute meditation before you hit the sack, then that would be the cherry on top!