| Stress is the leading cause of occupational ill health in | | | | listen to your body. If you feel uncomfortable, stop the |
| the UK. | | | | exercise and return to normal breathing. |
| As a Yoga Teacher, I see many students suffer from | | | | 1. Counted Breatho Sit comfortably on a chair, rest |
| the physical and emotional symptoms of work place | | | | your hands on your thighs, uncross your ankles, place |
| stress, for example, head/neck aches, snapping at | | | | your feet apart flat on the floor and close your eyes.o |
| colleagues, tiredness, ulcers and a general sense of | | | | Next breathe in slowly through your nostrils for a count |
| overwhelm and worry. | | | | of four and slowly breathe out, throughout your nostrils |
| The causes of work-place stress are quite obvious. | | | | for a count of four.o Repeat this sequence of |
| There is the constant demand for your time and | | | | breathing in for 4 and out for 4 for 3 - 5 rounds. |
| attention from multiple sources, deadlines and | | | | Slowly open your eyes and remain seated for a few |
| competing priorities, work presentations too name just | | | | more moments before engaging with your day. |
| a few. Learning how to relax and respond to these | | | | 2. Deep Yogic Breathing |
| demands requires patience, skill and an ability to know, | | | | Either sit comfortably, arms relaxed, nice straight spine |
| for example, when to stop and rest, when to say "no" | | | | and feet resting firmly on the floor or lie down on your |
| and when to delegate task. | | | | bed.o Place your right palm on your lower abdomen |
| Known as pranayama, yoga breathing exercises, offer | | | | and your left palm on your upper chest, just below |
| you an easy way to support your body to deal more | | | | your collar bones.o Breathe slowly in through your |
| efficiently with stressful conditions. | | | | nose and as you do so, consciously focus on sending |
| Good breathing is healthy breathing. Your breath is | | | | your breath from your right hand up to your left hand, |
| your connection to your life. You can survive for about | | | | be aware of the hands raising on the in-breath and |
| six weeks without food and a few days without | | | | slowly lowering on the out breathe.o Repeat this deep |
| water. But without breathing, you would not survive for | | | | yogic breathing for 3 - 5 more times, each time, |
| more than a few minutes. | | | | allowing the breath to be fuller and deeper. |
| In my experience as a yoga teacher, I notice that | | | | 3. Simple Alternate Nostril Breathing |
| many students do not know how to breathe correctly, | | | | Sit with your back straight and gently close your lips.o |
| which has a knock-on effect on your physical, | | | | Rest your left hand on your left thigh, hands facing |
| emotional and mental health. | | | | upward and position your right hand in Vishnu Mudra |
| Most students tend to breathe shallow, irregular and | | | | (for Vishnu Mudra, extend the thumb, ring finger, and |
| rapid. In extreme cases, you may forget to breathe | | | | little finger of your right hand and fold down your other |
| during long periods of focused work. When you | | | | two fingers into your palm.)o Close your right nostril |
| breathe correctly, you bring in rich oxygen into the | | | | with your right thumb and breathe in through your left |
| body and help to eliminate carbon dioxide buildup in the | | | | nostril for a count of 4. Close your left nostril with your |
| body. | | | | ring and little fingers.o Lift your right thumb and breathe |
| Learning to breathe correctly helps to release the | | | | out through your right nostril for a count of 8. Then |
| symptoms of anxiety and tension. As you practice the | | | | breathe in through the same nostril for a count of 4.o |
| following three yoga breathing exercises, you will | | | | Close your right nostril with your thumb and lift your |
| notice that you feel calmer, more relaxed and able to | | | | fingers to exhale through your left nostril to a count of |
| produce a higher quality of work. | | | | 8. |
| Three Easy Yoga Breathing Exercises To Ease Your | | | | Repeat this sequence 5 - 10 times. |
| Stress At Work | | | | As you go through your day, take time, to be aware |
| To help reduce stress and tension at work practice | | | | of your breathing and to practice at least one of the |
| the following easy-to-do yoga breathing exercises, | | | | above yoga breathing exercises to reduce work-place |
| which you can do in your chair, at your desk. As with | | | | stress. You will feel calmer, more alert, engerised and |
| all yoga breathing exercises, be gentle, respect and | | | | more importantly, relaxed. |