After weeks of holiday gatherings full of overeating and over-socializing my back is sore 
and my shoulders are stiff. It could be that I spent the majority of Sunday which happened to be New Year’s Day playing video games, watching movies and surfing the internet; generally avoiding all sorts of responsibilities and priorities that currently fill my time. Or maybe it could be the binging on homemade chocolates, pies, cookies and other sweets that seem to find their way into my kitchen during this time of year ( The Holidays). I try to be selective in my sweets, I even have a bowl of delicious Mandarins in a bowl next to the store bought chocolate ornaments and the bin of homemade holiday goodies, but I am not always successful in choosing healthy sweets. Who is perfect?
My body craves a few things this morning: water, exercise, massage and heat, I am not sure what will help it the most…most likely a combination of the four. Water is an easy gimme, I just need to get up from my chair and go get it! Any type of strenuous exercise is out of the picture being that I am in the office. I can do a few stretches that will ease my discomfort by getting the blood moving however. Here is a real easy routine one can do at their desk while catching up on morning emails and such.
Posture
Reposition your bottom so your sitz bones are evenly placed on the chair; your feet pressing evenly into the floor. Sit back in your chair and press your shoulders into the back support. Feel the firm pressure against your shoulder blades. Allow your arms and shoulder to relax into the arm supports. Breath into the top part of your chest and neck trying to focus on expanding the individual ribs. Stay here for the neck stretch your about to do.
Neck
Still seated upright, find the middle ground for your neck. Crane your head forward and pull your head back a few times. Then tuck your chin in like you are holding a delicious orange and then lift the chin few times. Feel how your head bobs up and down and how the neck muscles start to warm up and loosen around the vertebra. Now rest your head on your chair if possible and rotate your head from side to side as if you were saying no. Allow the front of your neck and chest to relax. Imagine your neck is a long balloon sausage shaped balloon and your can deflate and inflate it with your breath.
Shoulders
Bring your head back up to a neutral position and keeping your elbows bent- put your arms into the air like you are about to do a chest fly at the gym- or as if somebody is pointing a gun at you and tells you to put your arms into the air, with elbows bent. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, stretching the front pectoral area of your chest. Now squeeze your chest and arms together leading with your bent elbows. This time stretching the area between your shoulder blades. Alternate back and forth between the two. Keep your neck and head neutrally aligned over your shoulders while doing this shoulder stretch.
Draw your right arm across your body and place your right hand on your upper back. Stretching along the outside edge of your right arm, gently squeeze/rub the upper shoulder. Here is the massage part! Switch sides.
Pelvis
Cross your left leg over your right leg. Twist your torso to the left, placing your hands on the outside of your left leg. You can use your arms to pull yourself deeper into the rotation. Be sure to sit tall when doing this rotation and draw your head, neck and ribcage up and out of your pelvis. Breathe into your body while stretching. Use your breath to encourage your muscles and nervous system to relax.
Switch sides.
Back
Fold yourself over your legs, stretching along both sides of your spine. Rest your body on your thighs and let your hands dangle by your feet. Allow your tongue to float to the roof of your mouth and your spine to elongate from head to toe. Be forewarned. This stretch is uncomfortable in tight fitting pants or with bloated bellies!
All together this is about a 5-Minute routine. Perfect for a day where you have to get a lot done in front of the computer.
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