Hello and welcome to your mid-workday chair yoga break.
Let's take a few minutes to unwind,
Stretch,
And rejuvenate our bodies and minds.
Let's start by sitting comfortably in your chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Rest your hands on your thighs and close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
Hold it for a moment,
And then slowly exhale through your mouth.
Let's do this two more times.
So inhale,
Hold,
And then exhale.
Inhale,
Hold at the top,
And then exhale,
Feeling your body relaxing with each breath.
Now let's release some tension from our neck and shoulders.
Gently drop your right ear towards your right shoulder.
You should feel a nice stretch along the left side of your neck.
Hold this position for a few breaths.
Now slowly lift your head back to the center and repeat on the other side,
Dropping your left ear towards your left shoulder.
Breathe deeply for a few breaths.
Return to the center.
Next,
Inhale and lift your shoulders up towards your ears,
And as you exhale,
Roll them back down.
Repeat this shoulder roll three more times.
So inhale up,
And then exhale back and down.
So another inhale up,
Shoulders towards your ears,
And then exhale back and down.
Inhale up,
And then exhale back and down.
Let's move on to an upper body twist to stretch the spine and improve circulation.
Place your right hand on the back of your chair and your left hand on your right thigh.
Inhale deeply,
Lengthening your spine,
And as you exhale,
Gently twist to the right.
Look over your right shoulder if it's comfortable.
We're going to hold this twist for a few breaths,
Keeping your spine long and your shoulders relaxed.
Slowly come back to the center on an inhale.
Now let's twist to the left.
Place your left hand on the back of your chair and your right hand on your left thigh.
Inhale to lengthen,
And then exhale to twist.
Hold for a few breaths and return to the center.
Next,
We'll do a seated forward bend to stretch the back and shoulders.
Sit up tall and place your feet hip-width distance apart.
As you inhale,
Extend your arms overhead,
Lengthening through your fingertips.
On your exhale,
Slowly hinge forward at the hips,
Bringing your torso towards your thighs.
Let your hands rest on your legs,
The floor,
Or let them just dangle comfortably.
Relax your neck and let your head hang heavy.
Breathe deeply here,
Feeling the stretch in your back and shoulders.
Slowly begin to roll up to a seated position,
Stacking your spine one vertebrae at a time.
Now let's give our hips and legs some attention.
Sit back in your chair and place your right ankle on your left knee,
Creating a figure four shape.
Flex your right foot to protect your knee.
Gently press down on your right knee with your right hand,
Feeling a stretch in your right hip.
Hold this stretch for a few breaths.
Lower your right foot back to the floor and switch sides,
Placing your left ankle on your right knee.
Now flex your left foot and press down on your left knee.
Just breathe deeply and enjoy the stretch.
Lower your left foot back to the floor.
To finish,
Let's take a moment to relax and refocus.
Sit comfortably with your hands resting on your thighs.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose and then exhale through your mouth.
Notice how your body feels now compared to before.
Feel the relaxation and the energy newly flowing through your body.
Take one more deep breath in and then out.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Thank you for joining this mid-workday chair yoga break.
Remember,
Taking just a few minutes to stretch and breathe can make a big difference in your day.
Have a wonderful rest of your day.
