Back

Stress Relief: 6 Simple and Easy Desk Stretches You can Do at Work

These days, we often spend hours sitting in front of the computer while working. While this cannot be helped, we cannot deny that lack of movement is not suitable for health

Luckily, succumbing to this way of living is not necessary.

For one, you can take a quick break and walk to get your body moving. Another is to the time in-between work to declutter your workspace. You can do this while having a coffee break.

Lastly, you can follow these quick desk stretches:

1. Overhead reach

The Overhead Reach stretch is an excellent stretch that targets and works on your lower back, core, and neck.

Since you're going to be using your arm length, the only thing that you might need to worry about is if there's space on your sides. However, you don't need to worry too much about space since it won't be too space-taking.

With that said, here is how you do an overhead reach:

1. Raise your right arm over your head.
2. Bend your waist to the left and stretch. Hold that position for a minimum of ten seconds.
3. Switch to the other side. Feel free to use your other arm and hold onto your seat for stability.

These stretching exercises can be beneficial for the back, especially if you find yourself slouching often.

2. Upper back stretch

Speaking of being good for your back, another great stretch you can do during your break while on your desk would be the upper backstretch.

As it says in the name, it's great for getting your upper backless stiff and gets more circulation going around your upper back area. Aside from the upper back, the stretch can also work your shoulders and the middle of your back.

With that said, here's how you do an upper back stretch:

1. Put your hands together, palms facing outwards and your thumbs pointing downwards.
2. Straighten your arms out forward. Ensure that you don't have anything in front of you that you may hit and keep it straight.
3. Hold that stretch for at least ten seconds.

This upper back stretch is a great way to give you more range of motion and help relieve back pain a bit. It can also help you get your arms a stretch as well, especially when you've had them curved while using the computer the entire day.

3. Spinal Twist

If you spend hours sitting in front of the computer, we would not be surprised that you often complain about backache. However, it is not all the time that you can stand up and do some stretching.

Luckily, the Spinal Twist is a simple exercise that targets the back and something you can do while sitting. Also, this is excellent for letting go of that tension that your back may have after working for hours.

Here's how you do it:

1. Plant your feet flat on the floor, rotate your torso slowly to the right. Don't do it fast, or you may hurt yourself, especially if your muscles are tense.
2. Keep that position for at least ten seconds or more and slowly twist farther. You should look like someone's trying to call for your behind you, and you're turning your torso to look.
3. After doing that, slowly go back to the seated position with your feet on the floor. Twist your body to the left and hold that position for no less than ten seconds.

Instead of standing firmly with both your feet, you can also have one leg lying on top of one leg.

4. One arm hug

Arms and shoulders also need your attention when you've been leaning over a computer for the entire workday. Hence, you should do some stretches that can help you get the kinks out of your shoulders and arms.

The One-Arm Hug is an excellent stretch that can help you with that. Here's how you do it:

1. Place one arm across your chest with your hands, eventually being over the shoulder opposite of the arm.
2. Deepen your stretch slowly. Feel free to use your other arm to push it to a deeper stretch as long as it's still comfortable for you.
3. Stay in place for 30 seconds before switching arms. Repeat this stretch three times or until satisfied.

5. Hamstring chair stretch

Your legs are not getting any exercise since you're sitting down most of the time so stretching in the middle of a workday is essential.

The Hamstring Chair Stretch is an excellent stretch that you can try. Here's how to do it:

1. Sit at almost the edge of your chair and straighten your legs out in front of you.
2. Hold onto your chair and make sure that you're not about to fall or you're unbalanced and might tip over.
3. Fold your body over your legs as if reaching over to your toes. Keep your back straight while doing this.
4. Hold that position for 30 seconds before resting for a bit. Repeat at least three times.

6. Seated leg raises

Another desk stretch that targets your legs would be the Seated Leg Raises. Here's how you can do them:

1. Sit with your back straight and your two feet firmly on the ground.
2. Straighten your left leg in front of you and lift it and down slowly for ten seconds. Make sure not to let the weight of your leg rest too long on the floor when doing the leg raises.
3. Switch legs and do the same for about ten seconds.
4. Repeat as often as you want.

Conclusion

Getting into the habit of stretching while working can ensure that your body does not feel tight every day. Mind you; you can even do some stretches while cleaning your workspace.

At Maid Sailors Office Hoboken Cleaning Services, what we do is squat while taking clutter away. This is better than bending your back since squatting can strengthen your core and reduce back injury.

Of course, working out is still helpful in maintaining your body. But the stretches listed above can help you release body tension while sitting in front of a computer.