Yoga for office workers: Modern offices in India may be equipped with the latest infrastructure, but long working hours, constant screen time, tight deadlines, and daily commutes continue to take a toll on employees’ health. Prolonged sitting and high-pressure routines often result in stiff joints, weight gain, mental fatigue, and rising stress levels. Incorporating yoga into the workday can help counter many of these challenges in simple, practical ways.

Yoga expert Rewa Sharma, Founder of Stretch Bend & Exhale Yoga Home, explains that several yoga exercises are especially suitable for office workers. Practices such as neck rolls, seated twists, shoulder and leg stretches, and gentle forward bends can be done while sitting on a chair, helping reduce the strain caused by long hours of sitting.

She further highlights Sukshma Vyayama, or subtle yogic exercises, which involve gentle, rhythmic movements aimed at lubricating the joints and improving blood circulation. These easy-to-follow practices are particularly effective for maintaining mobility and reducing stiffness during sedentary workdays.

1. Griva Shakti Vikaska (Gentle rotation of neck)

Sit comfortably on the chair, keep your neck and spine straight, bend your neck to the right & then gently to the left. Bend your neck forward & backward smoothly.

Key Benefits:

1. Reduce Stiffness and pain of the neck

2. Improve posture

3. Enhance blood circulation

4. Relieves Stress

2. Skandha Tatha Bahu Mula Shakti Vikaska (Shoulder & Arm Joint developer)

Deeply inhale & simultaneously lift both shoulders up towards ears, briefly hold the breath and shoulders in the raised position, slowly exhale while releasing the shoulders down in the resting position. Stretch your arms sideways, fold from the elbow to tap on your shoulders, and stretch again.

Key Benefits:

1. Shoulder mobility

2. Release tension

3. Boost Blood Circulation to the shoulder region.

3. Seated Spinal Twist

Simple seated exercises like Spinal twist, Cat & Cow Stretch, Forward & Lateral bends are effective for relieving tension & pain caused by prolonged sitting. These stretches should be held for 10-30 secs, breathing deeply, and avoiding bouncing. Sit on the chair tall, spine straight, foot flat on the floor, place your right hand on the back of the chair & left hand on your right knee, twisting gently to the right, hold for 15 secs and then switch sides.

Key Benefits:

1. Relieves Spinal Stress

2. Relief in pain

3. Promote spine movement

4. Seated Side Bend

It is a stretching exercise that involves bending your upper body sideways and towards the floor. You should feel the stretch on the opposite side while you are holding the stretch.

Key Benefits:

1. Improves Flexibility

2. Promotes good, comfortable posture

3. Loss of inches from sides

4. Facilitates a toned body shape.

5. Paschimottanasana Chair (Seated forward Bend Pose)

Sit on a chair, stretch your leg forward, raise both your arms up, inhale and then bend gently forward to touch your toes. This movement can be repeated 5-10 times.

Key Benefits:

1. It gently opens tight hamstrings and the lower back

2. Good for digestion

3. Relaxes tight hamstrings and helps reduce abdominal fat

4. Calms the mind and nervous system.

6. Sit to Stand Exercise

It is the functional movement that strengthens the lower body muscles. Sit on a chair comfortably, spread your feet so that they are shoulder-width apart, cross your arms and stand, then sit again. Repeat 5-10 times.

Key Benefits:

1. Highly beneficial for strengthening legs (glutes, hamstrings, and core)

2. Better posture

3. Enhanced mobility

To complement the above Asanas & Stretches, it is good to get up from your chair once an hour and walk 50-100 steps around. If stairs are available, it is always good to use them instead of lifts, intermittently.

(This article is based on information available in the public domain and on input provided by experts consulted. Views expressed by experts in the articles are their own; Zee News does not confirm or endorse the same. This article is meant for informational purposes only and must not be considered a substitute for advice provided by qualified medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about joint pain, diabetes, weight loss, or other medical conditions.)