5 office friendly yoga poses for improving your mental health 

With 74% of the UK ‘overwhelmed or unable to cope at some point in the past year, taking care of your mental health has never been more important.

Yoga has been scientifically proven to relieve stress, improve mental health and reduce anxiety*, and there are several feel-good stretches you can do at your desk.

Office friendly yoga poses to raise awareness of mental health issues

To raise awareness around World Mental Health Day (10^th October), office furniture suppliers, Furniture At Work, have put together five simple yoga poses you can do in the office at work or at home. Stretching at your desk has huge benefits to your body and mind, including increasing your serotonin levels that help to stabilise your mood, make you feel good and reduce depression and anxiety

1. Chair Cat Cow Stretch

28% of back pain is lower back pain. The cat cow stretch is a way of relieving this pain, and it also provides a range of other benefits like improved posture and balance. It also strengthens and stretches the spine and neck, massages, and stimulates organs in the belly, and creates emotional balance and calms the mind.

2. Chair Raised Hands

The raised hand pose (Urdhva Hastasana) improves posture, increases the flexibility of your shoulders and armpits, and reduces stress, anxiety, and tension. It’s a great position for early in the morning helping you feel relaxed and motivated, the relief in muscle tension will also boost your mood.

3. Chair Eagle Pose

This pose will strengthen your calves, ankles, thighs, and hips as you build balance and core strength. It can also help you develop better concentration and relieve low backache or sciatica. When you unwind, you’ll find it isn’t just your body that feels untangled, but your mind and spirit too.

4. Chair Spinal Twist

Spinal twists relieve back pain and stiffness, rotating the spine and helping restore a natural range of motion. Holding this position will also create space between the vertebrae, giving us an instant energy lift. When there’s a lack of space our spine tends to slump or get stuck, and this can cause our energy levels to drop.

5. Seated Double Hamstring

Seated double hamstrings are easy to do and provide a range of benefits for your lower body. It will help improve your balance, strength, and flexibility, while keeping your spine in proper alignment. Avoiding injury and discomforts will relieve stress and help you stay comfortable at work.

You may also enjoy reading how working from home could impact your health