Release tense shoulder muscles in one minute, whether you're at work or at home, with these simple tips.
"Our shoulders really carry a lot of tension," says Dennis Buttimer, a facilitator at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. "Let's get rid of some of that stress right now."
Move one:
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Sit tall in your chair.
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Bend your elbows and bring your fingertips to your shoulders.
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Take a deep breath and as you exhale, start rolling your shoulders forward as if you were drawing invisible circles with your elbows.
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Reverse the circles and repeat in the opposite direction. You should feel the tension melting from your muscles.
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Continue for about 30 to 45 seconds, breathing deeply.
"Your breath is so important," says Buttimer. "Just bringing your attention to your breath can be helpful."
Move two:
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With your arms hanging by your sides, inhale as you draw your shoulders up toward your ears.
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Exhale forcefully as you quickly drop your shoulders to their normal position.
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Repeat twice more.
Repeat these two moves whenever you need to quickly release shoulder tension.
For additional stress relief tips, check out our other online classes at Cancer Wellness.