Managing your stress is very important. Doing so helps keep your life balanced, as well as ensure you stay healthy and happy. So if you find yourself feeling worked up more than usual, do everything you can to reduce that stress.
Regularly doing different types of stretching exercises will help you relieve stress on a daily basis. If you want to try them out, then below are five exercises you can start with.
1. Happy Baby
This stretch not only helps relieve stress, but also does wonders for your hips and back. Plus, it’s easy to do, making it ideal for beginners or people who haven’t done stretching for a long time. Best done with a yoga mat.
- Lie flat on your back on the floor or on your yoga mat.
- Slowly bend your knees to your chest at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your head stays flat on the mat, and the soles of your feet face the ceiling.
- Reach forward to grab and hold your feet, with your fingers touching your soles. Keep your head on the floor or mat, and spread your knees so they’re resting on your armpits.
- Flex your heels while you’re holding them, then gently rock your body from side-to-side (like a happy baby).
- Stay in this position for several breaths. Make sure you inhale and exhale deeply.
2. Lower Trunk Rotation
Meanwhile, doing lower trunk rotations everyday will increase your hips’ and lower back’s flexibility, while lowering your stress levels at the same time. This will grant your spine improved rotation and mobility. Best done with a yoga mat.
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your arms by your side for stability. Alternatively, you can have your arms stretched out so your body is making the letter T.
- Slowly move your knees to your right side until you feel your lower back area gently twisting and stretching. Make sure your back and shoulders stay flat on the floor and mat. And try to keep your knees glued together while you move them.
- Stay in this position for a few seconds, then slowly move your knees to your left side. Again, keep your shoulders and back down, as well as make sure your knees stay together.
- Gently rock your knees from side to side, staying on one side for a few seconds before shifting to the other.
- Repeat this for at least 5 times per each side.
3. Cat-Camel
On the other hand, the Cat-Camel stretch offers a gentler way to increase your spine’s mobility and reduce stress. At the same time, it can also stretch and strengthen your core muscles, as well as help alleviate any pain from your mid and lower back. Best done with a yoga mat.
- Kneel on all fours on the floor or your mat, while keeping your spine straight. This is the starting, neutral position.
- Take a deep breath and simultaneously arch your back downward. Make sure your belly button is as close to the floor as possible. Your face must also be looking upward. This is the camel position.
- As you exhale, round your back upwards like an angry cat. Lower your head and drop your shoulders as you do this. This is the cat position.
- Gently switch between the cat and camel positions. Do around 5 to 8 times per each pose.
4. Chest Opener Stretch
But if you’re looking for something you can do from the comforts of your desk, then try the chest opener stretch. Aside from relieving stress and tension, it can improve blood and oxygen flow through your chest. As an added bonus, it helps correct your body posture.
- Sit down straight and properly. Then move until you’re on the edge of your chair.
- Place your hands behind the lower part of your neck. Then move your elbows forward until they’re almost touching each other. Make sure your upper arms are parallel to your knees. And keep your head tucked between your arms, with your chin nearly touching your chest. This is the starting position.
- Gently open up by moving your elbows slowly until they’re pointing in opposite directions. Slowly raise your head as you do this, while also gently squeezing your shoulder blades back.
- Repeat this process at least 3 times.
5. Seated Spinal Twist
Lastly, this move offers another seated stretching exercise you can try from your desk. The seated spinal twist will help wring the stress out of your system. With its combination of twisting motions and deep breaths, it will improve spine mobility as well, and ensure better digestion to boot.
- Sit down straight and properly. Then move until you’re on the edge of your chair.
- Slowly twist your torso to the left, placing your left hand on the chair’s backrest and your right hand on your left knee. Make sure you remain seated on the chair’s edge as you do this, with your legs and knees making a 90-degree angle. And keep your back straight.
- Take a deep breath, then switch to your right side as you exhale. This time, your right hand should be at the backrest while your left hand is at your right knee.
- Repeat this for at least 3 times per each side.
Stretch Your Stress Away
Stress may be an unavoidable part of your everyday life, but that doesn’t mean you should let it go unmanaged. By doing any or all the stretching exercises listed above, you’ll enjoy a better, healthier, low-stress life.
