5 Quick Yoga Ways to De-Stress in Traffic

Highlights

• Traffic snarls, pollution can stress you out before work.
• Yoga expert Kamlesh Barwal suggests some simple exercises.
• Yoga breaks can work wonders for the body and mind.

Morning snarls, rush hour traffic, and the pollution can weigh the best of us down, even before reaching the work place, drawing from our productivity. The result is, we reach work half tired, irritated and ready to unleash our wrath on the slightest provocation. But what if there were ways to retain the loss of energy and simple exercises that you can practice while stuck in a thick unrelenting traffic! Here are seven yoga exercises from yoga expert Kamlesh Barwal, author of the book, Log Off To Log In, that you can do right at your steering wheel to relax and find peace in the moment.Seated Head Massage

• Keep the spine erect and the head straight
• Breathing in, raise the right arm
• Place the palm on top of the head
• Gently massage the top of the head, in a circular motion, in a clockwise direction
• Keep breathing smoothly and deeply throughout the exercise
• Feel the tension in the head region easing
• Feel more relaxed

Blink, Squeeze, Eyes Open Wide

• Keep the spine erect and the head straight
• Close your eyes
• Blink your eyes rapidly about 10-15 times
• Blink your eyes slowly about 10-15 times
• Shut your eyes as tightly as possible
• Open your eyes as widely as possible
• Repeat the action a few more times
• Keep breathing smoothly and deeply throughout the exercise
• Feel the tension around the eyes being released

Jaw Release

• Keep the spine erect and the head straight
• Place the tips of your three fingers on the cheekbones
• Look for muscles that make knots
• Keeping your mouth relaxed, press firmly and massage the knots in a circular motion
• Pressing down firmly, run your fingers, down along the jaw line towards your chin
• Repeat the action a few more times
• Keep breathing smoothly and deeply throughout the exercise
• Feel the tightness in the face easing out

Neck Rolls

• Keep your spine, neck and head erect
• Breathing in, raise your chin up and take the head back
• Feel the stretch on your throat and the compression in your neck muscles
• Hold the posture for a few seconds
• Breathing out, bring your chin towards the chest
• Rotate your head slowly a few times in both clockwise and anti-clockwise motion
• Feel the relaxation in your neck

Ear to Shoulder Stretch

• Keep your spine, neck and head erect
• Breathing in, raise your shoulders to your ears
• Hold the posture
• Breathing out, drop your shoulders
• Repeat the action a few times Feel the muscles being squeezed in your upper back
• Feel the energy move up as the spine is being stretched

Quick Body Shake

• Sit straight and tall
• Keep your spine, neck and head in a straight line
• Bring your hands near your chest
• Relax and loosen your wrists, shoulders, and head
• Shake your wrists, body and head together (more like when you dance)
• Feel the stiffness leaving your body

Simple Seated Twist

• Sit straight
• Keep your spine, neck and head in a straight line
• Breathe in and twist your body towards the right
• Twist your spine as much as you can
• Stay in this position for 5 seconds
• Breathe out and come back to your previous position
• Repeat on the other side

Investing 5-10 minutes in such short Yoga breaks can work wonders for the body and mind, says Kamlesh Barwal also CEO, Sri Sri School of Yoga. So, the next time you are stuck in a jam and find your head blowing a little steam, do these exercises and arrive at your destination with a lighter mind.
Anti-Stress Diet Tips


Dr Nisha Manikantan, Founder Director at Sri Sri Ayurveda and author of Ayurveda Simplified shares some food tips that you can use before you start out, or binge on while stuck on the road!


- Fruits such as strawberries, orange, guava and pineapple have large amounts of Vitamin C and are extremely beneficial against stress. The nutrients present in them help reduce fatigue.


- Beans and peas are good foods to fight against stress because they contain high levels of tryptophan. This amino acid helps in the formation of serotonin, a substance that induces a sense of well-being and happiness.


- Bananas are rich in tryptophan too. They also have a type of protein that is converted to serotonin. In addition, they are loaded with Vitamin B and other nutrients such as potassium that work wonders to combat anxiety levels.

 _{Bananas are rich in tryptophan​. Photo Credit: iStock}

- Cereals such as oats and brown rice are rich in lean protein, vitamin B complex, amino acids and essential vitamins - all of which help combat stress and help stay focused and balanced.


- Milk too has a calming effect on the body. Lactium, a protein found in milk helps reduce levels of cortisol (stress hormone).


- Almonds are known to be a super food for the brain. They are packed with antioxidants and are known to relax the muscles and reduce stress.

_{Almonds are packed with antioxidants and are known to relax the muscles and reduce stress.}

The Art of Living's international team of experts has introduced the knowledge and real essence of Yoga and Ayurveda to millions all over the globe, not just as a set of physical exercises and diet regime but as a deeper science that discusses them as a union of the mind, body, and soul