If your back’s feeling a bit dodgy after almost a week hunched over your office desk, we have a treat for you.
These five yoga poses, recommended and demonstrated here by Rachel Fearnley, retreat manager at Escape Haven Retreat, will have you feeling rejuvenated in no time. They’ll stretch out your back, open up your heart and help calm your mind and body.
Just find a quiet place, take a deep breath and get stretching.
1) Child's pose (Balasana).
If you want to give the lower half of your body a good (gentle) stretch, try this pose. It'll stretch your hips, ankles and thighs in particular, and cal also release your back, shoulders and neck, relieving any pain in those areas. It can also normalise your body's circulation and encourage strong and steady breathing. There are mental benefits too - the pose can calm your brain and help ease stress and fatigue.
2) Legs up wall (Viparita karani).
This pose has a multitude of benefits for your mind and body. If you suffer from arteritis, headaches, high blood pressure or insomnia, the legs up move can be therapeutic. It can also relieve lower back pain and tired or cramped legs, and easy the symptoms of PMS, menstrual cramps and menopause. Added benefit: it'll give you an energy boost and help ease anxiety and stress.
3) Puppy pose or heart melting post (Uttana Shishosana).
The Puppy pose (best name ever) does great things for your upper body. It'll expand your chest, improve flexibility in your spine, and relieve any tension in your upper arms, shoulders and neck. It also stretches out your abdominal, opens your hips and stretches your hamstring. In terms of well-being, doing the Puppy pose will calm your mind and relieve symptoms of chronic stress, tensions and insomnia.
4) Corpse pose (Savasana).
It sounds morbid, but the corpse pose is the ultimate relaxation pose and will rejuvenate your body and mind. It can physically relax you, help to lower blood pressure, reduce the symptoms of headaches, fatigue and insomnia. The pose can also calm your brain and help to ease stress and mild depression.
5) Standing forward fold (Uttanasana).
This pose positions your head below your head below your heart, so straight away the rush of blood to your head will give you a big boost of oxygen. This has some great results - it can help to ease feelings of nervousness, stress, anxiety, depressions and fatigue, and relieve symptoms of asthma, menopause, headaches and insomnia. Physically, it stretches your hips, hamstrings and calves, keeps your spine strong and flexible, and strengthens your things and knees.
DEBRIEF DAILY