People who are busy at work often feel tension in the neck and shoulder muscles. Meanwhile, the body usually does not have the energy to exercise that can overcome the muscle tension. In fact, there are simple exercises that can be done before going to work, even by lying in bed!
Here’s are 5-minute exercises in bed to treat tense muscles:
- 360 Belly Breathing with Criss-Cross Hands
- Start lying on your back and bring your hands to your belly, fingers interlacing.
- Take an inhale and focus on filling your lower ribs. Feel how your belly gently rises as you breathe in.
- As you exhale, imagine zipping up your core from your pelvic floor to the bottom of your ribs. Pretend you’re trying to stop yourself from peeing or passing gas as you hug your abdominal muscles in.
- Inhale to fully release the core muscle activation.
- Repeat for 60 seconds.
It needs 1 minute and core region.
2. Supine Leg Lift
- Start lying on your back, right leg extended straight out along the bed, left leg extended up toward the ceiling.
- Using your core activation breathing from above, exhale as you engage your core and lift the right leg up to meet the left.
- Focus on keeping your core engaged as you lower your left leg, keeping your right leg in the air.
- Next, lift your left leg up to meet your right, then lower your right down to the bed.
- Continue alternating which leg you lift up.
It needs 1 minute and core region.
3. Hip Bridge with Leg March
- Start lying on your back, feet on the floor, knees pointing toward the ceiling.
- Using your core activation breathing from above, exhale as you engage your core and lift one foot off the ground.
- Focus on keeping your core engaged as you alternate lifting your right foot, then left foot.
It needs 1 minute and core region.
4. Dead Bug
- Start lying on your back with your knees lifted in 90-degree angles and your arms extended up toward the ceiling.
- Using your core activation breathing from above, exhale as you engage your core and lower your left arm and right leg toward the bed.
- Return to the starting position.
- Next, lower your right arm and left leg down toward the bed.
- Continue alternating opposite arm and leg.
It needs 1 minute and core region.
5. Oblique Hip Lift
- Start in a side plank, propping yourself up on your right forearm with your elbow underneath your shoulder. Extend your legs and place the top foot in front of your bottom foot and squeeze your core and glutes.
- Place your left hand behind your head with your elbow pointing up. This is the starting position.
- Rotate toward the floor, bringing your left elbow to meet your right hand. Keep your hips up throughout; the rotation should happen through your core.
- Return to the starting position.
- Slowly dip your hips toward the floor until they make light contact.
- Return to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
- Continue for 30 seconds on each side.
It needs 30 seconds and core region.
Which one of these exercises are you keen on trying before work? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!
