You all know that sitting longer is bad for your health. Also sitting hunched over the computer all day can lead to bad posture.
Worry no more, because a new study have shown that performing a single yoga pose for just 90 seconds, a few times a week could help reduce the curvature of the spine, and improve overall comfort and posture, in just three months.
Go ahead and straighten up with these 2 yoga poses for that perfect posture:
1. Bridge Pose or Setu Bandhasana
Bridge pose is great for strengthening and you will feel the muscles in your lower back getting stronger with bridge. It will also open up the lungs and chest, so you will have better breathing for an all around relaxation.
Instructions:
1. Lie on your back.
2. Fold your knees while keeping your feet hip distance apart on the floor, 10-12 inches from your pelvis and with ankles and in a straight line.
3. With palms facing down, keep your arms beside your body.
4. While inhaling, lift your lower back slowly, with your middle back and upper back off the floor; gently roll in the shoulders. Then touch your chest to the chin, without bringing the chin down while supporting your weight with your arms, feet and shoulders. Both your thighs should be parallel to each other and to the floor.
5. You cam interlace the fingers, while pushing the hands on the floor to lift the torso a little more up or you could support the back with your palms.
6. Breathe easily.
7. Hold the posture for 1-2 minutes and exhale as you gently release the pose.
2. Child’s Pose or Bala-asana
Child’s Pose is one of the easiest poses in yoga. It is perfect for stretching out the lower back and can help relax the entire body.
Instructions:
1. With your feet together and buttocks resting on your heels, sit on your knees. Your knees should be separated about the width of your hips.
Sit on your knees with your feet together and buttocks resting on your heels. Separate your knees about the width of your hips. Put your hands on your thighs with palms down.
2. Inhale deeply, as you bring your chest between your knees. Do this while also swinging your arms forward and exhale.
3. Rest your forehead on the floor, if possible. Then put your arms around to your sides, with your hands resting on either side of your feet, with palms up.
4. Breath gently through your nostrils, while holding the posture. Hold this posture for about 1-2 minutes. Then return to as upright kneeling position with your hands on your thigh and back straight.
5. Repeat the posture.