With more of us working from home now, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s bound to be excessive hours where we’re seated and glued to work, chasing tight deadlines. Long sitting hours can have detrimental repercussions on our health like stiffness in the back, shoulder, knees, ankles and low circulation leading to low metabolism as well to name a few. While the work from home routine is here to stay for a while, these aches and pains can be avoided or resolved through simple stretching. It’s like an antidote to combat the ill effects of continuous sitting. So if your chair has held you hostage long enough, here are 5 simple stretches you can do to keep yourself healthy.
5 Simple Stretches To Do While Working From Home
1. Chest Opener
How this helps: Extended sitting time can weaken the spine and cause dropping shoulders. This reduces upper back and neck stiffness.
How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder distance apart, firmly hold a towel or scarf with both hands behind your back. Slowly raise your arms up as far as you can and stretch your shoulders while doing this.
2. Downward Dog Pose
How this helps: This stretch provides relief from back ache and strengthens the arms and legs. It energizes the body and helps to reduce fatigue.
How to do it: Stand tall with both hands up in the air, bend down to touch the palms on the floor without bending the knees. The hands should be shoulder distance apart. The feet should be flat on the ground and gaze at your navel.
3. Back Bend Stretch
How this helps: This helps with better posture and supports the back muscles.
How to do it : Stand tall with feet shoulder distance apart and clasp your hands above your head and stretch back. For greater level of stretch, you can place your palms on the wall while stretching backwards and look up at the ceiling.
4. Glute Bridge
How this helps: This reduces lower back pain, provides a good stretch to the hamstring and activates the glutes.
How to do it: Lie on the mat on your back, legs folded at 90 degrees and feet firmly placed on the floor. Now lift your hips from the floor till your lower back is above ground. Hold on and gently come down.
5. Reclining Back Bend
How this helps: It stretches the shoulders, chest and abdomen. It also strengthens the spine and soothes the sciatica nerve.
How to do it: Lie down on your stomach, with palms placed firmly on the ground next to your chest. Lift your upper body till the navel and look at the ceiling.
That’s it! That’s all you need to do. You can try these 5 simple stretches while taking a break from work. You can do these anywhere! We hope this article helps you and you try these stretches. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! If you feel like sharing these stretches, take a video, upload it on your social media channels and tag us!
For more on fitness and home workouts, check out Healthy Reads or join our fitness experts on GOQii Play or get your pass for a LIVE GOQii PRO workout class – all within the GOQii App.
To get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, subscribe to personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu
#BeTheForce
While we’re again in a lockdown due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, what most of us are overlooking is the impact of this period on our health. “Sitting is the new smoking” and quite rightly so! Watch your favorite shows, movie marathons, staying glued to the cellphone can all keep you occupied but can also make you mentally and physically unfit! So here are some simple and fun ways to stay fit at home! You can try these fun workouts with your entire family, including your kids! 
Do you know the single-most effective sex tip that I’ve ever given?
As a woman indoctrinated in the Indian culture, for a long time I believed that a woman should not initiate sex. It’s a man’s job. I believed that women should be pursued both inside and outside the bedroom. Women in my home observed purdah in front of their men and were always fully clothed. I ended up carrying this belief right since my childhood, through my adulthood even after studying from an illustrious college and working for several years thereafter. In my relationships, I would wait for the man to initiate, to undress, and to penetrate. Once in college, my boyfriend asked me to ride him and I was terrified. How can I be in power?

