Top 5 Yoga Poses For Working From Home During A Pandemic

The past year has been one of the big changes for many. One of those changes includes working from home for thousands of people all across the world. Because so many people have begun working from home, it may be difficult to create a routine that you can stick with.

Everything has been up in the air for quite some time now, and this can cause stress and anxiety to skyrocket. It is precisely for that reason that you need to incorporate yoga into your weekly routine. There are several ways in which yoga can benefit you while working from home during the pandemic, and we are going to discuss those in shortly. However, this article is also going to show you the best yoga poses for working from home during a pandemic.

Yoga provides many benefits, but working from home often means working from your bed, the couch, or your kitchen table. While this may sound great, it can be very hard on your posture and your back. Not to mention, the stress of a global pandemic can be overwhelming. Yoga can be a wonderful remedy for all of these things, especially the poses we will go through in this post.

We will not only list the top yoga poses for you, but we will also take a look at exactly how to do them, the benefits of each pose, as well as the best time to do the pose. So let’s get started by looking at the benefits of yoga while working from home during a pandemic.

How Can Yoga Benefit You While Working From Home?

Most people know the benefits of yoga, if nothing more than to stay in shape. However, yoga goes much deeper than that. The benefits of yoga are innumerable, but especially right now when working from home and during a pandemic. Here’s a list of some of the amazing benefits that yoga can provide while working from home during a pandemic:

• Yoga can help relieve stress and anxiety.

A global pandemic is naturally going to cause some anxiety. Even if you enjoy working from home, being cooped up in a house all day every day with none of your other work colleagues around will get to you at some point. That plus the uncertain state of the world can really be a big stressor. Yoga is a wonderful way to relieve that stress and cut down on your anxiety.

• Yoga will keep you in shape.

While you would think that working from home would give you more time to work out and be active, many people actually do the opposite. Not having to go anywhere means a more sedentary lifestyle and that can be hard on the body. Doing a little bit of yoga every day can really help get you in shape and keep you active. It is great to get your heart pumping and stretch those stiff muscles.

• Yoga can help you with back issues.

Sitting all day, whether or not you have a home office with a desk or you are working from your couch, can really do a number on your back. Yoga helps to alleviate back pain that can be caused by poor posture and prolonged sitting.

• Yoga can boost your overall mood.

Being stuck in the house 24/7 can get to be a bit mundane, and many people are affected by it. Their mental state is affected greatly and some people even show signs of depression brought on by the pandemic and being isolated. Yoga is a great way to boost your mood and allow your body to release endorphins which can relieve pain and stress and boost happiness.

• Yoga is a healthy habit to pass the time.

Being in quarantine (or at least partially) leaves you with a lot of time on your hands. Even if you are working from home, you still have plenty of extra time that you would have spent going to meet friends, going shopping, going out to eat, going to the gym, etc. That being said, how you fill that time is important. Some people have begun drinking more, and social media use has skyrocketed. However, having an outlet like yoga is a healthy way to pass all this extra time that you have.

As you can see, there are several benefits to practicing yoga while working from home during a pandemic. Of course, there are many others, but we won’t go into every single one or we’d be here all day. Let’s take a look at the best yoga poses for working from home are.

Top Yoga Poses For Working From Home During A Pandemic

There are hundreds of yoga poses in the practice, but we are going to take a look at 5 poses that are specifically great for those of you who are working from home during the pandemic. Let’s get started.

Ragdoll Pose (Uttanasana Variation)

• How to do Ragdoll Pose?

1. Stand with your feet hips’ width distance apart and keep a slight bend in your knees.
2. Bend from the hips and allow your head to fall toward the ground.
3. Move your body weight forward.
4. Relax your neck and jaw, grab opposite elbows, and allow gravity to take over the top half of the body.
5. You can sway from side to side or shake your head yes and no if you’d like.
6. Take deep breaths.

• What are the benefits of the Ragdoll Pose?

This is an excellent pose for releasing tension in the low back, neck and shoulders. It is a great pose for stress-relief and can help quiet the mind. It also lengthens the spine and may help with back and neck pain. Working from home may look like working on the bed or sofa, and that can absolutely create back problems, so this is a great pose to relieve those issues.

• When to use Ragdoll Pose?

This is a perfect pose to use at any time throughout the day. However, one of the best times to use it is when you’ve been sitting for a long time and your back begins to ache. This is also a great pose to do when you have congested sinuses, as it can relieve sinus pressure!

Chair (Or Floor) Cat/Cow Pose

• How to do Cat/Cow Pose?

1. When sitting on your chair or on the floor, place your hands lightly on your knees.
2. As you inhale, arch your back, push your shoulders back and down, lift your gaze.
3. As you exhale, create a cat-like curve in your spine and drop your chin toward your chest.
4. Repeat for a few rounds of breath.

• What are the benefits of the Cat/Cow Pose?

This pose is great for releasing tension in the back and lubricates the spine. It also creates space in between vertebrae and increases your circulation. It also aids in breathing by stretching secondary respiratory muscles.

• When to use Cat/Cow Pose?

This is a great yoga pose to use in the morning or in the afternoon after sitting for a while. In the morning, it can get your respiratory muscles stretched out, making it easier for you to breathe throughout the day. In the afternoon after you’ve been sitting for a while, it is a great way to stretch out the spine and increase your circulation which can be slowed down by sitting in one position for a long time.

 

Reclined Pigeon Pose (Supta Kapotasana)

• How to do Reclined Pigeon Pose?

1. Begin in a lying position with both feet flat on the ground and knees bent up toward the ceiling.
2. Place your right ankle over top of your left knee, keeping your feet flexed.
3. Begin to raise your left knee toward your chest and place your right arm under your right leg and both hands can meet under your left knee, interlacing fingers.
4. Gently pull the knee and leg toward the chest. You can stay still or move slightly from side to side.
5. For a bit of a deeper hip flexor stretch, move your legs over to the left slightly. Then switch legs and repeat on the opposite side.

• What are the benefits of Reclined Pigeon Pose?

This is a wonderful hip-opening stretch. When sitting all day, your hips can get very tight, and releasing that tension is important. It is also a great glute stretch for glutes that have been sat on all day long. This pose can relieve stress as well and relaxes the body.

• When to use Reclined Pigeon Pose?

This pose is a wonderful stretch to do in the evening or right before bed, as it releases your tightness from the day and relaxes your body. Paired with some breathing techniques, this is a powerful pose for a good night’s sleep.

Child’s Pose (Balasana) 

• How to do Child’s Pose?

1. Begin in a tabletop position (on all fours with your wrists below shoulders and knees below hips) and bring your big toes together while spreading your knees out wide (knees can be kept in if preferred).
2. Then sit your hips back down onto your heels and either stretch your arms straight out in front of you or rest them down by your sides (there are other variations you can choose to take with your arms such as placing hands palms up on the small of your back or creating a prayer position with your hands behind your neck while elbows are on the ground).
3. Rest your forehead on the ground and breathe. 

• What are the benefits of the Child’s Pose?

The benefits of a child’s pose are numerous. It is a gentle stretch for the back and shoulders, as well as the hips, thighs, and ankles. It can really help to relieve back pain. This is a wonderful resting pose that can bring quiet into the mind and relieve anxiety and stress.

• When to use Child’s Pose?

This pose is great for any time. You can do it morning, afternoon, and night. When you are stressed, pop into a child’s pose and breathe for a few moments to clear your head and calm your mind. If your back is hurting from sitting at a computer all day, then a child’s pose is a great release. If you have a headache from stress or work, then a child’s pose can help by releasing pressure on the neck.

Spinal Twists

• How to do Spinal Twists pose?

1. These can be done either seated or lying down. If you are seated on the floor, then stretch out your left leg and cross your right foot over to the outside of the left thigh muscles.
2. Then gently twist to the right, either hooking your left elbow on the outside of your right knee or gently hugging your right knee with your left arm. Then switch sides and repeat.
3. If doing while lying, then stretch your left leg out and bend your right knee.
4. Bring your right knee over to the left side of your body and allow it to fall toward the ground (you can use your left hand as a weight to guide it down further).
5. Extend your right arm out to the side and ensure that your right shoulder is grounded.
6. Gaze can be over your right arm. Switch sides and repeat.

• What are the benefits of Spinal Twists pose?

  • This is a wonderful back pain reliever. If you feel the tension in your lower back due to sitting on a computer all day, then this is a great way to release it. It is also a great position to wind down after work or before bed.

• When to do Spinal Twists pose?

  • This is a great pose to relieve back pain, release stress, and undo hours of sitting that cause achy lower back muscles.

When working from home, our routines may not look like they used to. But don’t let that stop you from keeping your body and mind healthy and happy. Try some of these top yoga poses for working from home during a pandemic and see the difference they make in your life. Your body will thank you!

Grab your cork yoga mat and get moving. Don’t let this pandemic get you down! Yoga is perfect for anyone and everyone, but these poses are certain to be great for you when working from home. Try them and see for yourself. You’ll immediately notice the difference.

Video credit : Youtube