Need a Midday Reboot? Try this quick yoga sequence
With a lot of our time being spent staring at screens these days, we all know the value of taking a quick walk, break, or lunch to refocus and re-energize. In an effort to maximize these moments, we went in search of a short routine to get ourselves back on track. In our searching, we came across this easy and fast yoga sequence that we wanted to share.
Beyond assisting with general mind clearing and stress relief, the positions in this series were selected specifically to help redirect of the flow of blood to your head, thereby offering the added benefit of relief from headache pain.
Take several deep breaths in each of the poses, slowly inhaling and exhaling before moving on. Shorten or lengthen the time spent in each position based on the amount of time that you have available.
The next time you need a fast break or find yourself battling a headache, give this a try.
1. Child's Pose: Begin by kneeling on your mat with your big toes touching and your knees mat distance apart. Extend your arms out towards the top of your mat and rest your forehead down between your arms.
2. Cat Pose: Come into table top position by kneeling on your mat with your knees under your hips and your wrists directly under your shoulders. As you exhale, press your self away from your mat to curl your back. Tuck your chin towards your chest and curl your tail bone under.
3. Bridge Pose: Come to lay down on your back with your knees bent. Walk your feet hips distance apart and have your heels close to your glutes, so that you can almost graze your heals with your finger tips. On an inhale, press your hips up through your heels and gaze directly up.
4. Downward-Facing Dog: Start in a high plank with your wrist stacked under your shoulders and your feet hips distance apart. On an exhale lift your hips up and back so that you fully extend through your arms. Give a gentle bend into your knees so that you are able to draw weight out of your hands and more into the ball mounds of your feet.
5. Standing Forward Fold: Standing on your mat, step your feet hips distance apart. Hinge from your torso and either let your arms hang heavy or your can grasp for opposite elbow. Bend your knees as much as feels comfortable to you so that you can release your lower back.
Source: Mind Body Green http://www.