Why yoga? And why for work?

The workplace has changed a lot over the past ten months. You might be doing your “desk” job from the couch, the kitchen counter, or the folding table you pulled out of the basement and wedged between your bed and the closet. But that doesn’t mean the physical and mental stresses that come with your job have changed. You’re still suffering from carpal tunnel, lower back pain, that constant crick in your neck, a racing heart and sweaty pits before a big meeting on Zoom, or the headache that comes at the end of a long day spent in front of a screen. 

On top of that, the boundaries between work-life and home-life that were once clear have now become blurred or non-existent. An hour-long commute on the highway is now a thirty-second walk from your bedroom to your living room. The gym you used to frequent on your way home is closed, or only open limited hours, or let’s face it, was never actually a place you spent much time in anyway. Instead, your gym is now your living room is now your office is now your breakroom. So how do you maintain balance? How do you look after your health and wellbeing in this new era of work-from-home? 

The simple answer is yoga. A consistent practice can help to “undo” the strain of hours spent sitting at a desk (or a dining room table or a kitchen counter) by increasing flexibility, strengthening and toning muscles, improving circulation, lowering blood pressure, balancing metabolism, and lessening chronic pain. In fact, according to this Men’s Health article, if you make it a habit, yoga can be just as effective for easing back pain as physical therapy. It can also improve athletic performance, protect the body from injury, and help with weight loss.

Beyond these physical benefits, yoga can also help to increase focus, and reduce stress and anxiety. During the workday, your mind might be jammed with a thousand to-dos, causing your nervous system to release cortisol, the stress hormone, and adrenaline, the hormone that prepares you for “fight or flight” response. When you’re in this mode, it’s hard to remember to breathe. But the breathwork and meditation of a yoga session can move your body from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest”, bringing calmness and clarity and thereby reducing stress and sharpening attention. 

Whether you’re doing it from a mat in your office, a mat in your kitchen, or a mat on your bedroom floor, a regular yoga practice can combat the physical and mental strains of a desk job that cause fatigue, absenteeism, and reduced productivity. Yoga is a vibrant, accessible way to stay physically healthy, manage stress, and move through the workday as a less anxious and more focused employee. And no, you don’t need to be able to touch your toes or balance on your head at the edge of the Grand Canyon. All you need is a mat, an instructor, and a little bit of time before work, between calls, or at the end of a too-long day.