Stretch to spark happiness

Do this 10-minute routine to release stress, improve oxygen uptake and elevate your mood.

- Sandra Jersby

When you’re going through a tough time, you feel like you want to curl up and hide — and you might unconsciously be doing just that, closing up your arms, hunching your shoulders and dipping your head down. This postural alteration constricts both your breathing and your blood flow and creates tightness in your front body.

Simultaneously increase oxygen uptake and spark happiness by moving your body in the opposite direction, opening your chest and shoulders, and releasing the intercostal muscles between your ribs to expand your heart space and alleviate tightness and stress.

Take 10 to 15 minutes to perform this self-care routine one time through first thing in the morning or in the afternoon for an energy boost. Do the moves in order and transition from one to the other smoothly, relaxing and focusing on your breathing. Perform another round of the supine spinal twist on both sides at the very end and you’ll be ready to face the world.

UNBLOCK YOUR HEART

To improve thoracic (upper back/spine) mobility

Set up two yoga blocks about 6 inches apart and parallel to one another. Turn one to a medium height and the other to the tallest height. Sit in front of the medium block, then recline back slowly on top of both blocks, adjusting them so the medium-height one sits directly under your shoulder blades and the taller one is right underneath your skull supporting your head. Hold here and take 15 slow breaths. Tip: As your thoracic mobility improves, turn both blocks to the tallest position.