If you’ve done any travelling, you know that you can spend a lot of time sitting- in airports, in airplanes, in vehicles… In fact, I write this while waiting for my flight after 2 days of cancellations. This has resulted in a lot of sitting, and my body is feeling sore and tight, not to mention the mental and emotional stress. In this post, we will cover some yoga poses you can do to combat the physical and emotional stress of travel.

1. Deep Breathing

To start with, take 10 deep breaths, in and out through your lower belly. This will help regulate your nervous system and leave you feeling calmer.

2. High/Low Lunge

When we sit, the muscles in the front of our hips get tight and sore. To stretch out your hip flexor muscles, come into a lunge position, either with your back knee raised or on the ground. Tuck your tailbone under, and you should feel a stretch through the front of your hip. Hold this for 10 deep breaths and repeat on the other side.

3. Heart Opener

Our shoulders tend to roll forward when we sit, and this tightens the muscles in our chest and shoulders. To release, place one hand on the wall, straighten your arm and turn your body away from your hand, stretching through the front of your chest and shoulder. Hold this for 10 deep breaths and repeat on the other side.

4. Full Body Stretch

This one feels good! Reach your arms over your head, lengthening your spine up towards the ceiling. If it feels good, with a long spine, arch your back slightly for a backbend, reversing the sitting position you’ve been in. Hold this for a few deeps breaths.

5. Side Body Stretch

This one will help lengthen out the muscles in the sides of the torso. These muscles can become tight when you sit, or fall asleep while sitting bent to one side (we've all been there in the car and plane). To perform this stretch, you can be seated or standing up. Inhale and lengthen your spine while you lift one arm above your head. As you exhale, bend to the side opposite your raised arm. No need to overdo this one. You are just looking for a gentle stretch and the ability to take deep breaths. Hold this for 10 deep breaths and repeat on the other side.

I hope you try out these simple poses and feel some relief. Enjoy your travels!

Kiah Loewen, RYT200, BHK

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