Take a yoga break

Have you been staring at your phone or laptop all day? Feeling that “tech neck” ache? Is your “online spine” hunched over and sore? “Brain fog” rolling in and losing your focus?

Take a yoga break. Right now. Stop reading this and move for just 30 seconds. No mat, no studio, no teacher. You don’t even have to stand up! Wiggle, stretch, sway, turn your head side-to-side, roll those shoulders up, back and down, broaden your collarbones, perhaps a gentle cat/cow or spinal rotation.

How did that feel? Maybe you think it was just movement and not really yoga. Let’s try again. This time could you also take a deep full breath? For one full minute, slow down, inhale/exhale breath through your nose 6 times and then let it go slowly as you move. Is it yoga yet?

Not sure? How about this: for 90 seconds repeat the movement with the breath AND also close your eyes. Repeat any combination of movement, breath, pausing, and closed eyes for one-and-a-half minutes. Perhaps that felt like more of a yoga break?

Funny thing is that they are all yoga breaks if you want them to be. Paying attention to how you feel and pausing whatever it is you are doing – especially pausing your tech use – is beneficial and it can be yoga if you choose it to be.

Combat your “tech neck,” “online spine” and “brain fog” regularly – with yoga or breath or wiggles. Don’t need a mat or a studio or a teacher. Just that little 2-5 minute break from whatever it is you are doing. Whatever you call it or however you do it, let me know how it feels and if you would call it yoga.

Now back to that crossword puzzle.