In this post, I am going to focus on desk chair exercises or office chair exercises, whatever you prefer to call them. Anyone with an office job should be doing these exercises
Do you find all that sitting at the computer is getting your body down? Did you know that sitting too much is the leading cause of back pain worldwide?
Here are some stress reduction techniques that you can use to remove stress from various body parts. These desk chair exercises or office chair exercises are not only easy to do but will take some of the stress and strain out of sitting at your computer screen all day.
By doing these desk chair exercises you can avoid stiff and sore necks, achy backs and tired eyes, caused by lack of activity and sitting for hours on end in front of your computer. Stress on your body is also increased by having bad posture.
I am a dancing teacher, and luckily I am on my feet a lot of the time. However, with all the admin work that is involved in running a studio, I also tend to get locked down in front of the computer from time to time.
I have some wonderfully easy stress relieving techniques and desk chair exercises that you can do without tearing yourself away from your computer or your work area.
Desk Chair Exercises
First of all, one of the best ways to reduce stress is to concentrate on your posture. The worst thing you can do for your body is sit slouched and stationery for hours at a time.
We weren’t designed to do that. We were designed to stand up straight and move.
Start by making sure that the chair that you are sitting in has good support for your back, preferably at 90 degrees.
If necessary place a rolled up towel at the base of your spine for extra support.
Even better, sit on an exercise ball as this forces your core muscles into play as your body has to constantly work to stabilize itself.
Feel as though somebody is pulling you up from the crown of your head, straightening out your spine and lengthening up the sides of your torso. Pull your shoulder blades down and back.
Keep your head balancing lightly at the top of your neck and make sure that the computer screen is almost level to or lower than your eye line. If you feel your chin jut out, try dropping your head slightly so you feel the back of your neck lengthening. While sitting like this, work on that tummy by just lifting and tightening the muscles slightly.
Now that is the posture you have to think about and try to maintain while working and exercising, and it isn’t easy, as when you stop thinking about it you go back to your old lazy ways. This is a typically case of the more you do it the more natural it becomes and you can slowly start getting rid of that old habit of slouching when sitting.
Try to do a couple of these simple desk chair exercise at least every hour that you are sitting, or even better one or two every fifteen minutes. Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress.
While focusing on these exercises, make sure that you maintain a good posture, as talked about above. Also, take deep breaths to fill your lungs and body with energy and vitality.
Stress Reduction Office Chair Exercise 1
Tilt head to each side a few times holding for 10 seconds on each side and finally drop the head forward and place your fingers on the back of your head and gently press head down. Feel your muscles stretching in the side of your neck, and then up the back of your neck.
Stress Reduction Office Chair Exercise 2
Roll your shoulders forward, up, back and down a couple of times, and then reverse.
Stress Reduction Office Chair Exercise 3
Stretch arms above the head, and then out to the side. Then take them as far back as they will go and try and clasp your hands together behind you to open out your shoulders. You may have to stand for this one if you are not sitting on an exercise ball.
Stress Reduction Office Chair Exercise 4
Cross your ankles and press them against each other. This is a great knee strengthener too. Remember to cross them the other way too.
Stress Reduction Office Chair Exercise 5
Keeping back straight, stretch the one leg out in front of you and circle the feet in both directions, then repeat with the other leg.
Stress Reduction Office Chair Exercise 6
Relax forward in a seated position, letting the head drop towards the floor and just relax the arms and back. Watch out for this one if you have low blood pressure.
I find that these simple desk chair exercises and stress relieving techniques help me tremendously when sitting doing my time in front of the computer.
Try them and see for yourselves.
