As numerous studies have shown, regular physical activity can have notable positive effects on a whole range of aspects of our lives.
From helping relieve stress and increase energy levels to improving overall mood and self-esteem, there is quite a lot a well-chosen set of exercises can do for your body and your mind. However, the trick is to know which workouts are the most effective in your journey to a better self.
Here is a list of 5 easy, yet potent exercises you can do in the comfort of your home or office whenever you feel negative thoughts, worries, or stress threaten to disturb your emotional peace.
Starting off easy: Stretch and relax
Even though it’s far from ideal, we usually spend most of our days sitting down, and our jobs are often the main reason for this. Spending a lot of time in this idle position is not only harmful to your posture and can lead to weight gain, but it’s also bad for your mental health.
Even if you can’t find the time to visit the gym a few times a week, you can still help your body and mind get their share of exercise they need to stay healthy. These five exercises are so easy and quick to do that, in order to go through them, you won’t even have to leave your desk.
Begin by staying seated. Put your elbows on the desk, lower your head, place the palms of your hands on the back of your head, and give your spine a good stretch. Keep your back straight while you do this exercise by keeping your rear in the chair a bit further from the desk. Stay in this position for 10 seconds.
Stable, yet mobile: Elbow rotation exercise
After you’ve stretched your back in an opening exercise, it’s time to do the elbow rotation. Keep the right elbow on the desk while at the same time lifting the left one to the side until you feel the strain. Lower the left elbow, place it back on the desk and repeat the exercise with the right hand. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Breathing is a crucial part of this exercise cycle. Your goal is to stretch, wake up the “sleeping” muscles that feel dull and lifeless, and relieve any stress bottled up from a busy day you’re having. Don’t rush your way through the workout, give it time and enjoy the process.
Here’s an extra tip that might help you feel great during these exercises: Open YouTube in a new tab and search for relaxing ambient music to soothe your soul and help you stay calm through the duration of the workout.
Moving down the body: Seated pelvic tilt
Now that you’ve stretched and warmed up the upper part of your body, what you’ll want to do next is move on to the mid-section. Sit up straight, put your hands on your hips, and let your lower back and abs do the work.
Slightly pull your stomach in and move your hips backwards until your lower back touches the back of the chair, then do the opposite: Move your hips forward with hands still on them, keeping your bottom “glued” to its place. Remember to keep your spine straight at all times. Repeat the exercise up to 10 times.
Once again, don’t push yourself to exercise too quickly and never forget to breathe rhythmically during the workout. It will take very little of your time even if you do it very slowly, so there’s no need to rush it.
Time to get up: Sit-to-stand cycle
Whether you’ve run around with children all day, had a tough meeting with your boss, or spent hours looking for paper writing service able to provide assignment help and resume services you need for your university class, take a few minutes of your day to see this workout to the end. You’re already more than half-way through!
The next exercise will require that you stand up from your chair, put your arms in the air to stretch nicely, and perform a series of 10 movements: Sit down in your chair and get back up again. This simple and effective exercise will get your blood circulating in no time.
After the series is finished, take a few seconds to just breathe and relax. The workout is almost over, and you should already be feeling a lot more energized, positive, and ready to move on with your day.
Closing off: Forward lounges and side stretches
Stretches, elbow rotations, seated pelvic tilts, sit-to-stands: You’ve done so much already, and there is just one more thing to round off the experience and boost your performance and self-esteem.
Finally, it’s time to do the only exercise that requires you to step aside from your desk. Remove any obstacles that might be on your way and get ready to finish this quick workout with 10 forward lounges. Do them slowly and carefully to avoid injury and really feel your thighs and calves stretch.
To make your whole bodywork at the same time, after each lounge you make, rotate your upper body to the side. When lounging on your left knee, turn your upper body to the right, and vice versa. Stand up straight and take a few deep breaths.
Conclusion
No matter how hard you try to stay organized and on top of every situation, you can’t avoid stress in your life altogether. Luckily, this doesn’t mean that you are bound to lose control of yourself and your health at one point or another – quite the contrary.
We all use different, individually shaped tools and mechanisms to defeat stress, but what we all have in common is the need to stay active and keep moving forward. Practice these 5 useful exercises every day and your body and mind will thank you.
Learning to manage stress and negative emotions this way will help you become more emotionally stable and mentally powerful than ever before.
About the Author: Kurt Walker has been working as an editor and a copywriter in London for 3 years. He is also offering thesis help and assignment help. Kurt loves writing and is a professional content writer and journalist in topics such as inspiration, productivity, education, and technologies.
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