This two-minute routine is a physical therapist’s secret for fixing the damage of sitting all day—and it instantly helped my stress

I spend a lot of time writing about the benefits of regular movement, yet there are still days when I barely leave my desk.

When deadlines pile up and I have back-to-back virtual meetings, I can end up spending hours in my chair.

This is not just a me-problem—my colleagues and friends all struggle with this issue. When I recently spoke to physical therapist Dr Rockie Felder, she admitted that even she has days like this.

I asked her what she does to offset the damage of sedentary hours. She shared four moves she likes to do every 20 minutes or so if she’s not left her chair.

I tried them out and they took me less than two minutes and provided instant calm. The breathing exercises and horizon gaze in particular offered a welcome screen break, one I hadn’t realized I needed.

1. Seated calf raise

Seated Calf Raises - YouTube

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Reps: 10

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
• Raise your heels.
• Pause for a second.
• Lower your heels back to the floor.

Felder explains that this move can help with circulation, which can be negatively affected by long periods of sitting.

“If you sit for long periods of time, your knees are bent so blood flow isn't able to come from your legs to your upper body,” she says.

“Your calf muscle has a pump system, so doing this helps get that circulation up, to recirculate [blood] throughout your body.”

2. Horizon gaze

Time: 20sec

• Sit comfortably in your chair.
• Fix your eyes on a point far away on the horizon.
• Hold for 20 seconds.

Staring at screens can hurt your eyes and lead to headaches, according to Felder. This quick visual shift away from your screen can help reset and relax your eye muscles.

Thoracic stretch

Time: 30sec

• Sit upright in your chair.
• Place your hands behind your head, with your elbows out to the sides.
• Tilt your head back, stretching your mid-back.

It’s common to be hunched forward over keyboards and laptops, rounding the shoulders and upper back. This stretch encourages the opposite movement, relieving tight muscles in your back, neck and shoulders.

Breathing exercise

Reps: 5-10

• Sit comfortably in your chair.
• Take two short inhalations through your nose.
• Forcefully exhale through your mouth.

If you’ve been stuck in a chair for hours, you might be having a busy and stressful day.

“Breathing exercises like this one can help you tap into your parasympathetic nervous system, which tells your body to relax,” says Felder.

You can try different breathing exercises to find one that works for you. Even simply taking long and slow breaths in and out might help you reset your mind and calm your nerves.

About our expert

About our expert

Dr Rockie Felder

Dr Rockie Felder is a physical therapist based in San Diego, California. A 2019 graduate of Thomas Jefferson University, she has a background in outpatient rehab and home health, and has completed clinical rotations at Walter Reed and University of Chicago Medicine. For the past three years, Felder has worked in her own concierge practice, bringing physical therapy directly to clients’ homes and offices. She also runs remote programs designed to help busy professionals feel better in their bodies.