6 tips to quickly, easily improve your physical well being

Have you ever gotten out of work feeling stiff and sore? Or just felt achy in the middle of the day?
Physical labor takes a toll on your body, knots up your muscles, creates tightness in the joints and makes it difficult to get any rest.

So what is the solution?

The solution is to tell your boss that you are taking off for just a few minutes during your workday so you can do a "right in the middle of the work day stretch-out". (*waving "Hello"  to my boss as she reads this*)

Here are my 6 favorites!

Stick your neck out

I love this  gentle neck stretch I learned from Alexander Technique Coach Shel Rasch.

1. Sitting comfortably, gently drop your head to the left. 
2. Then let the right arm fall to the side but dont stretch it, let the arm and neck hang. 
3. After at least 3 deep breaths use your left hand to help lift your head up so as not to overstress your neck. 
4. Repeat on the other side.. 
5. Then drop your chin towards your chest, after 3 breaths, use both hands to lift your head up.

Seriously a good idea if you are suffering from a sore neck.

Reach for the skies

• Face the wall

• Stand up tall one foot in front of it

• Reach for the skies: raise your arms and place your hands flat surface

• Lead with your heart and aim to place your sternum on the wall

• Feel the gentle stretch in your upper back and arms, 

• Hold for 3 minutes or until the boss comes by and asks questions or gives you funny looks.

Talk to the hand.... and wrists, and forearms.

As an esthetician my hands are my most important tool so its not surprising I have 3 hand stretches I love to do.

a. The Royal Wave.

Hold both hands in front of you

Now wave your palms, slowly, all the way up

then wave them all the way down.

Repeat several times

b. Jazz Hands. 

Stretch out all your fingers wide,
Hold it.

Slowly curl them into a tight fist,
and Hold it tight.

Then repeat by slowly opening your fingers wide again.

 c. Push me - Pull me. 

• This is my daily exercise that helps stretch my lower arms and forearms 
• Place your right arm in front of you, palm up, use left hand to gently pull back the right fingers.
• Then hold your right hand, fingers down.
• Wrap your left hand around it with the thumb of your left in right palm and gently stretch the right down and back.
• Repeat with left hand. 

Wiggle Worms. 

My final stretch is more of a silly stress release. 

Just wiggle in your seat, 

gently shaking out your arms, 

rolling your shoulders around and back, 

wiggle side to side, 

tap your feet and 

shake out your hands 

all while taking lovely deep breaths. 

It feels like you are wiggling and shaking yourself to relaxed state.

Bet the boss will love seeing you do this one on company time.  

One final trick

Get a MASSAGE! It makes a world of difference on your body and you will feel much better. So call us today, we have amazing massage therapists ready to help you feel your best.

Let me know how these work for you. Share any others that are your favorite
Michelle