If you’ve ever found yourself needing the bathroom more when you’re nervous or experiencing dry mouth when you’ve had a shock, you’re not imagining things—emotions can have a big impact on your body.

Stress can cause some particularly nasty symptoms such as muscle tension.

“When you're stressed, your body switches into fight or flight mode, increasing muscle tension to protect your body from what it perceives as a threat,” explains yoga teacher Nicky Cossins.

This muscle tension can make your joints feel stiffer.

According to Cossins, there’s no definitive way to link hip tension to stress, but there are clues—like fluctuating flexibility.

“One week you may find it easy to sink deeper into a pose, but a few weeks later your hips may feel noticeably tighter. This doesn't necessarily mean you've lost flexibility, but it may suggest heightened stress since your last practice,” says Cossins.

You might also notice tension in other parts of your body, like your neck and shoulders, but if it's stress-related, this should improve when you relax.

Cossins is a slow-flow yoga practitioner and is an advocate for using yoga as a calming tool.

“Flowing with the breath into position, followed by slow, diaphragmatic breathing when we get there, can help release stress-related muscle tension,” says Cossins.

Relaxing will make your practice more effective, according to the instructor, as you will get a better stretch from muscles that have loosened up.

“Always listen to your body and start with the recommended hold times or even less if you feel like you’re forcing it and gradually add longer holds with time.”

Three yoga poses to open tight hips

1. Reclined butterfly pose

Hold: 30-60sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your legs extended, arms by your sides and palms facing up.
• Inhale, bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together.
• Exhale and allow your knees to fall to your sides gently. If this feels uncomfortable, place yoga blocks under your knees for support.
• Bring your heels toward your buttocks until you feel a comfortable stretch, then settle into slow, diaphragmatic breathing. Allow your belly and lower ribs to gently expand as you inhale and then soften as you exhale.
• Hold for 30-60 seconds to start, gradually increasing to a minute or two as your flexibility improves

“Reclined butterfly pose helps to improve hip mobility by moving the hips into external rotation—something we don’t tend to do often enough,” says Cossins.

“[Lying on] the floor supports your spine, allowing your hips to relax deeper into the pose without placing extra strain on the back. It also keeps your focus on your hips, rather than trying to maintain good posture.”

2. Bridge pose

Hold: 20-30sec Reps: 8-12

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Rest your arms by your sides with your palms facing down.
• Inhale, press into your feet and engage your core and glutes.
• Slowly lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Take deep, diaphragmatic breaths, relaxing your body with each exhale while keeping your glutes and core engaged.
• Hold the pose for a few slow breaths or 20–30 seconds, then exhale as you slowly lower to the floor.

“Bridge pose strengthens the glutes, hamstrings and muscles that support the hips while stretching the hip flexors at the front,” says Cossins.

“This combination of strength and mobility can improve hip function and make everyday movements, such as walking, climbing stairs and standing up from a chair, feel much easier.”

3. Low lunge

Hold: 20-30sec each side

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Inhale and take a big step back with your left foot.
• Exhale and slowly lower your left knee to the floor, placing the top of your left foot on the floor and keeping your right knee directly above your right ankle.
• Inhale and reach your arms overhead, palms facing each other.
• Exhale and gently move your hips forward until you feel a comfortable stretch through the front of your left hip.
• Breathe steadily, allowing each exhale to help you settle into the stretch.
• Hold for 20–30 seconds.
• Inhale and return to standing.
• Repeat on the other side.

“This is one of my favorite poses for better hip mobility and strength,” says Cossins.

“As your back leg gently stretches your hip flexors by moving your hip into extension, your front leg works to strengthen the glutes, quadriceps and other muscles that support the hips and pelvis.”

A common issue among the moms I train is worrying about missing workouts when they’re ill. Many have young children and are regularly catching the bugs their kids bring home with them.

These busy parents often already struggle to fit exercise into their week, so they tend to feel guilty and fear that missing a session is going to set them back.

But here’s the thing: taking a short break when you’re sick isn’t going to wreck your fitness. In fact, it’s better for your body to take time to rest as this is the fastest way to return to feeling strong enough to exercise again.

What happens if you exercise while sick?

When you’re not well, your body’s immune system is working hard to fight whatever bug you have. What you need during this time is three simple but powerful things: rest, hydration and sleep.

Tempting as it might be to push on through, training when you’re not well could potentially keep you sicker for longer, prolong recovery time and even put you at risk of injury if your coordination is affected.

How to know when to rest or modify exercise

A common (but not scientific) guideline for athletes, and one I use with my clients, is the neck rule.

If you have symptoms above your neck, such as a mild cold, sore throat or a runny nose, light exercise should be fine, provided you don’t feel dizzy or queasy. Gentle movement could include walking, yoga, mobility work and stretching.

If you have symptoms below the neck, for example, vomiting, diarrhea or extreme fatigue, experts say it’s not advisable to exercise. Symptoms involving chest pain, palpitations and shortness of breath are also signs to avoid exercise. Listen to your body and take time to rest and recover.

If you’re unsure or worried about how to make that judgement call, then consult a health professional before you hit the gym or a class.

How to return to exercise

You’re feeling better and you’re ready to move again, so it’s time to book your usual class again, right? Wrong. It’s actually better to start exercising below your normal intensity so that you can ease back into movement gently.

Keep an eye on your energy levels—are you feeling fatigued quicker than usual? That’s a sign to take longer rest times between exercises.

Build up the intensity of your workouts over a few sessions rather than going hard in your first workout back to make up for lost time. This gives your body a chance to get back to full strength.

Remember, taking time off when you’re sick is not a weakness, and it’s definitely nothing to feel guilty about. It’s a smart choice that will help you stay stronger in the long term.

I’m naturally an early bird, but I do find that getting out of bed before my 7am alarm can sometimes feel impossible because I’m just too tired.

However, when I do get up earlier and exercise in the morning it sets me up for a good day.

With that in mind, I decided to set myself a new fitness challenge; to get up at 6am every day for 30 days to work out.

Now, I just needed a workout plan to keep me engaged.

Coincidentally, one of my favorite workout apps RWL had just released a new six-week plan called Sculpt—a combination of core work, strength training and boxing with workouts no longer than 25 minutes.

As someone who gets bored of doing the same exercises, this fun and effective mix was the perfect way to start my 30-day challenge. Here’s what I discovered.

I was more patient with my children

Weekday mornings usually involve waking up at 7am and immediately getting into action. I coax my two daughters out of bed while making packed lunches and trying to stuff some food in my mouth, all before we head out on the school run.

Getting up at 6am to work out while the family was still asleep transformed my mood and stress levels.

Having that time for myself—with no one asking me to do anything—was bliss, and the medicine I didn’t know I needed.

By the end of the first week, I noticed I was more patient with my children. By the second, I was practically skipping up the stairs to wake them up—a task that would usually fill me with dread because they are so hard to get out of bed.

By the end of the 30 days, mornings felt manageable again because I felt like I had woken up on my terms.

My anxiety dropped

Mornings are typically the time when I feel most anxious. My to-do list feels overwhelming; I tend to have a non-stop schedule from school drop-off to pick-up and I often panic about how I’m going to get it all done in time.

Early morning workouts really helped me with these intrusive thoughts. This could partly be down to the fact that exercise has been linked to improved regulation of mood-related neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, which can help reduce anxiety.

Over time, exercise can also improve how the body regulates the stress hormone cortisol, so it’s a great way to start the day if, like me, you often wake up feeling anxious.

I felt these benefits almost immediately, and this carried on for the whole month.

I remember telling a friend, who I call every Monday for a pep talk, that I’d noticed I wasn’t feeling as worried as usual.

The shift was so significant that I am determined to keep up with my early-morning workouts. I just might get up a bit later than 6am on the weekends!

It fixed my sleep routine

When my daughters finally fall asleep—often way later than I want to go to bed—it feels like it’s my only chance to spend some time on things I like to do.

This phenomenon is known as revenge bedtime procrastination. It’s the act of deliberately sacrificing sleep to do things for yourself, because of an all-consuming schedule.

The trouble is, when you stay up too late, you are more tired and the demands of your schedule become even harder to handle.

I discovered this the hard way a few times when I stayed up too late watching Netflix or talking to my boyfriend on the phone. The next morning I could not get out of bed and snoozed until my old 7am alarm went off.

Setting a 6am alarm to work out really helped to knock that bad habit on the head because it forced me to create my own curfew of lights out by 10pm at the latest.

It sounds simple but it’s so effective. Giving myself eight decent hours of sleep not only meant I was more able to wake up, I also felt more rested than usual.

I felt energised throughout the day

Isn’t it amazing what sleeping for eight hours a day will do for your energy levels? Combined with my early morning workouts, I felt like I had been super-charged.

What I noticed most about exercising in the morning was that as well as feeling energized at the end of each session, that feeling fed into the day, helping me to stay focused and alert with tasks that would usually slow me down.

Again, this was a benefit of getting up early to exercise that I felt almost instantly. I’ve always known that exercise is an energy booster but this daily reminder was a reason to keep up with my new routine.

If you work at a desk, then it’s important to fit as much movement into your day as possible to avoid a build-up of muscle tension, create space in your spine, and maintain your mobility.

Desk yoga is a great solution for when you need a reset between meetings, when you only have a few minutes and can’t get away from your desk.

“It’s one of the simplest and most accessible ways for people to build movement into their working day,” Pauline Alonso, wellbeing expert at Hussle tells Fit&Well.

After research from Hussle revealed the benefits of exercise for employee stress levels and productivity, the fitness platform teamed up with Yogaia to create a five-minute yoga flow you can do from your office chair.

Combining gentle stretches with mindful breathing, this five-move routine from yoga instructor Shanine Collinson is designed to release tension in areas that commonly become tight during the working day. The movements encourage circulation and better posture through your neck, shoulders, back and hips.

“You don't need to change into workout clothes or leave your desk,” says Collinson. “Just a few simple movements can help your body and mind recharge.”

How to do the five-minute desk yoga routine

You should aim to move every 60-90 minutes, so as well as getting up regularly, you can repeat this chair yoga routine whenever you need throughout the working day.

“It can help reduce stiffness, improve posture, and maintain your energy levels,” says Collinson

1. Wrist circles

Reps: 10 each way

Benefit: Improves mobility, increases range of motion and warms up your muscles and joints before returning to your keyboard.

How to do it:

• Sit or stand and extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height.
• Gently close both hands into fists, but don’t clench.
• Slowly circle your wrists in one direction for 10 reps.
• Repeat in the opposite direction.
• Keep the movement slow and controlled.

2. Seated sun salutation

Reps: 5 sweeps and 2 sun salutations

Benefit: Helps reverse the computer hunch by opening your chest and shoulders, lengthening your spine and gently stretching the back of your body through a forward fold.

How to do it:

• Sit with both feet firmly on the floor.
• Sweep your arms overhead as you inhale.
• Exhale and lower your arms in front of your chest, palms together.
• Repeat this five times.
• On your next exhale, fold forward from your hips, relaxing your upper body.
• Inhale to a halfway lift by placing your hands on your ankles, shins or knees and lengthen through your spine.
• Exhale to fold forward.
• Inhale, sweep your arms overhead.
• Exhale and bring your palms together in front of your heart.
• Repeat the last sequence.

3. Seated twist

Reps: 3 each side

Benefit: Improves spinal mobility, releases tension through the back and shoulders and gently stimulates digestion after long periods of sitting.

How to do it:

• Sit and cross your right leg over your left knee if comfortable, or keep both feet on the floor.
• Bring your palms together in front of your chest.
• Inhale to lengthen your spine.
• Exhale as you gently rotate from your waist to the right.
• For a deeper stretch, place your left elbow against the outside of your right knee and look over your right shoulder.
• Inhale back to center.
• Complete your reps on one side then repeat on the other.

4. Seated side lunge

Reps: 3 each side

Benefit: Stretches your inner thighs while encouraging movement through your hips and torso—areas that often become tight after sitting.

How to do it:

• Sit toward the front of your chair with your feet on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Step your right foot out to the side and extend your leg, as you raise both arms to shoulder height out to your sides.
• Return to the center.
• Repeat on the left leg.
• Continue alternating sides using smooth, controlled movements.

5. Deep side bend

Reps: 1 each side

Benefit: Lengthens the sides of your body, improves spinal mobility, and helps restore an upright posture by releasing tension created from prolonged sitting.

How to do it:

• Sit with your feet hip-width apart and your palms together in front of your chest.
• Turn your torso slightly to your left.
• Place the back of your right arm along the inside of your right leg.
• Place your left hand on your left hip.
• If it’s comfortable, reach your right hand toward your shin or ankle for a deeper stretch.
• Extend your left arm overhead then reach over your ear, palm facing down.
• Breathe deeply for a few breaths, feeling the stretch through your side of your body.
• Inhale to release the position and repeat on the other side.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as hitting a forehand winner down the line in tennis—especially when you’ve hit the previous dozen into the net.

But that satisfaction is all the sweeter knowing that the simple act of playing tennis can add years to your life.

That’s the belief of former pro tennis player Mark Petchey, who has also coached Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu.

According to a landmark Danish study from 2018, tracking 8,577 participants across 25 years, people who play tennis regularly live an average 9.7 years longer than their sedentary counterparts.

That’s more than badminton (6.2 years), soccer (4.7), cycling (3.7), swimming (3.4), jogging (3.2), calisthenics (3.1), and even gym activities (1.5).

To understand why tennis can add years to your life—and life to your years—I recently joined the former British number one for an active vacation at the five-star Neilson x Mangia's Torre del Barone Resort in Sicily, Italy.

Why can playing tennis help you live longer?

My first, and most obvious, takeaway was that tennis—and all racket sports for that matter—are a full-body workout.

From advancing quickly from baseline to net and invariably back again when the ball floats past, you need to be quick and agile on your feet.

It also demands balance, coordination and strength to strike the ball cleanly and powerfully on both your stronger and weaker side.

"Tennis is the healthiest sport on the planet," argues Petchey, now 55.

For starters, he tells Fit&Well, it demands long-term commitment and discipline.

"Playing tennis is one lifelong learning curve. I don't think you ever stop learning. It's a real investment."

It's also very sociable, he adds, "which is a big hook for pickleball and padel too."

Incidentally, pickleball and padel were likely not on the Danish research team's radar between 1991 and 2017 when the study was conducted, but the authors did note that sports involving a high degree of social interaction scored highest.

"Leisure-time sports that inherently involve more social interaction were associated with the best longevity," they concluded.

Petchey has another theory on why tennis, more so than other common sports, proved to be so effective at increasing life expectancy.

Shorter, sharper sprints, he explains, rather than long, slow cardio, helps keep us young and our bodies active.

"More importantly, tennis also keeps your brain active because you're constantly problem solving on the court, constantly communicating to your partner or opponent."

And hopefully sharing a friendly coffee and a chat with them after, too.

"The dedication required to master it will help in everything you set your mind to," he adds. "For me, it's the ultimate chess match."

Why you should pick up a racket

The mind-and-body benefits of racket sports aren't restricted to just tennis.

Petchey firmly believes playing any racket sport, be it padel, pickleball, squash or tennis, will add more strings to your bow.

Firstly, he says, there's every chance you'll discover the simple joy of falling in love with a new sport.

Secondly, you'll improve your hand-eye coordination, an invaluable skill that's transferable to any activity requiring dexterity.

Third, and especially if you've never tried that sport before, it could improve your overall brain health thanks to something called neuroplasticity.

This is the brain's capacity to develop and maintain brain and cognitive function, especially in later life, which research suggests can be prompted by learning a new skill.

Last, but by no means least, Petchey says regularly playing racket sports is one of the best ways to tick off the recommended 150 weekly minutes of moderate-intensity (or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity) aerobic activity we should all be striving for.

Petchey finishes by saying: "I promise you'll have one of the best workouts of all time."

Morning exercise is a fantastic way to start your day. For one, it ensures you fit in a workout before you look at your to-do list and convince yourself that you don’t have time.

While some people like to jump straight into challenging workouts, many of us prefer to ease into the day with something gentler, and yoga can be perfect for that.

It can also help to lubricate the muscles and joints after sleep, helping to ease any stiffness.

Adriene Mishler—better known to her more than 13 million subscribers on YouTube as Yoga With Adriene—recently shared a 12-minute practice designed to be done first thing in the morning.

But along with the physical benefits of morning yoga, Mishler adds a mental benefit by encouraging you to set an intention for the 10 minutes of movement that you can carry into the rest of your day.

How to do Yoga With Adriene’s 12-minute morning routine

You can follow along with Mishler’s YouTube video as she guides you through the routine in real time. Some of the exercises are done from a kneeling position, so if you have a yoga mat, it’s a good idea to roll it out to support your joints and make the routine more comfortable. If not, simply use a blanket or a towel.

How setting an intention in morning yoga has helped me

Mishler encourages viewers to set an intention at the start of this practice. She says that this should be an intention for the day, either a word or a sentence that you want to channel throughout the day. “You can always elaborate on it later,” she adds.

Setting an intention is a common yoga practice, but when I first started yoga, I wasn’t sure what this meant and found instructors could be purposefully vague, because setting the intention should be personal.

I wouldn’t want to set your intention for you, but in case an example helps spark inspiration, I’ve set an intention that’s as simple as “slow down” or “practice self-love”; or that’s specific to the day ahead, such as “take a moment for yourself” or “remember that work isn’t everything”.

I’ve found setting intentions during yoga really helpful. It provides me with some time to think over how I want to feel day-to-day and I have the whole practice to think about it and try and channel that in my movement.

For example, if my intention is to take more time to relax, I may skip some of the more difficult poses and spend more time in child’s pose.

As Mishler's morning practice is short and sweet, it’s a great way to try out setting an intention for your day if you’re new to the idea.

Of course, you can also simply focus on the stretches in the routine if you don’t feel like setting an intention and it should still help you feel less stressed, thanks to the relaxing benefits of movement.

With regular practice, yoga is a great way to improve your flexibility, balance and coordination. That said, some yoga poses can help relieve stiffness right away while still being gentle and accessible.

Melissa Leach, certified yoga instructor at fitness app Yoga-Go has shared four moves that will provide immediate relief for achy joints, and help you develop strength and mobility in the longer term.

“These yoga poses can be useful if you deal with joint stiffness or discomfort because they encourage gentle movement while supporting strength, mobility and alignment,” she says.

“By regularly working the muscles that support your joints, they can help make everyday movement feel more comfortable and controlled,” Leach adds.

Four yoga poses for stiff joints

Each move in this routine offers its own unique benefits.

“Poses like supported warrior one or bridge help strengthen key muscles like the thighs, glutes, or hamstrings, providing greater support for the knees, hips, and lower back, reducing unnecessary strain in those areas,” Leach explains.

“The flowing movements in cat-cow encourage the circulation of synovial fluid, which lubricates and cushions the joints,” she continues.

1. Cat-cow

Time: 30sec

• Begin on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale deeply as you arch your back, gently lifting your chin.
• Exhale as you round your spine upward, tucking your chin toward your chest and your pelvis under.

2. Bridge

Reps: 5-10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing down.
• Press through your feet to raise your hips.
• Keep your knees parallel and your chin tucked.
• Slowly lower to the floor, one vertebrae at a time.

3. Mountain pose

Time: 30-60sec

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your arms loosely by your sides. Use a wall or chair for balance if needed.
• Roll your shoulders back and down and tuck your chin slightly.
• Keep your knees soft, your thighs lightly engaged and tuck your pelvis in.
• Look straight ahead or close your eyes.
• Inhale to lengthen through your spine without leaning back or forward.
• Exhale, experience your whole body and breath.

4. Warrior one

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Use a wall or chair for balance if needed.
• Step back with your left foot, angling your foot outward slightly and keeping your legs straight and hips facing forward.
• Bend your right knee over your ankle.
• Raise your arms overhead, palms facing inward.
• Hold, pressing your feet into the floor and reaching upwards through your fingertips.
• Reverse the movements back to the start, then repeat on the other side.

When you’re a busy working mom like me, the idea of going on a fitness retreat sounds like a break—even though it involves doing hours of exercise. So when I got offered the chance to go to my favourite trainer Cecilia Harris’s RWL Retreat in Portugal, it was a no-brainer.

My best friend had coincidentally won a place after entering an RWL Instagram competition (yes, those prizes are real) so we packed our suitcases and jetted off to the Algarve for four days of boxing, strength training, Pilates, breathwork, manifestation, cold pool plunges and mobility work, fuelled by delicious Mediterranean home-cooked food. Plus, we were actively encouraged not to tidy up after ourselves, which felt like the ultimate luxury.

RWL co-founder and personal trainer Harris told me that the retreats aren’t just about working out. The women-only retreats let attendees reconnect with themselves and recharge their batteries. “So many women arrive completely depleted,” says Harris. “They’ve spent years looking after everyone else: children, partners, careers, parents, households, and somewhere along the way they’ve lost themselves a little.

“The retreat is designed to give them permission to pause and reconnect with who they are outside of their responsibilities. And it’s not about restriction or punishment. It’s about nourishment, movement, fresh air, community, rest, laughter and feeling cared for again.”

Doing the retreat was exactly what I needed after a particularly stressful few months, which had left me inconsistent with my fitness routine and uninterested in cooking (and even eating properly)—usually my favorite things to do. I arrived hoping I could reignite my passion for both.

To be out of my normal routine of solo parenting and working, and having time to exercise and nourish my body with delicious meals that I didn’t have to make was wonderful.

But it was the daily cheerleading from Harris, the other coaches and my fellow guests that really reminded me that it’s OK to be vulnerable and to let others help lift you up. I left feeling inspired to take better care of myself, and committed to carrying some of the healthy habits from the retreat back home.

Here are three that worked for me.

1. Cold-water therapy

At the retreat: I used to swim twice a week in my local lake where I live in Oxford, England, until my schedule got too busy. In the fall and winter, the water would be so cold it would sometimes take your breath away, so when I got to the retreat I wasn’t worried when I learned that we’d be doing a cold plunge in the unheated pool (average temperature 51℉/11℃) every morning.

But I had forgotten how amazing it makes me feel afterward: alive and energized, but with a calmness and clarity. It was also a fundamentally better way to wake up than doom scrolling.

Back home: I was still too busy to get back to lake swimming when I returned home, so I decided that ending my morning shower with cold water was the best way to replicate this self-care act.

The first day, I was a bit of a wimp and only managed about 30 seconds with the cold tap running before I had to jump out. Staying still in the cold was really unpleasant. Nothing like jumping into a pool in the sunshine in Portugal!

But I reminded myself how good I felt after those plunges on the retreat, how awake, energized and calm, and persisted. Day two was still uncomfortable, but I had got myself into a better headspace and I lasted longer than the day before.

The weekend after I got home from the retreat, I was away with my daughters at a festival and as a very reluctant camper, the only way for me to cope was to have a daily shower. Advertised as hot thanks to the wood burner, my first shower was, in fact, stone-cold.

But thanks to my experience the previous week, I managed to stay in long enough to wash and condition my hair.

I was now on a roll and I can honestly say that by the end of week two it was the best way to wake up. Similar to the way I felt after a cold swim in the pool or lake, it cleared my head, gave me energy and made me feel more capable of facing any stress the day might throw at me.

The expert view: Psychotherapist Rebecca Wilson, a licensed clinical social worker and founder at Rebecca Wilson LCSW, told me that cold water therapy is a natural method to improve mental health. Her favorite way to use it is an ice face or hand plunge.

“Using cold water to boost your mental health is a technique I often recommend to clients to help ground and calm themselves. This method works well for coping in times when you are struggling with anxiety or low mood. I recommend plunging your face or hands into a bowl of ice water and holding for 15-30 seconds.

“What’s happening inside is interesting. There is a release of feel-good endorphins, a metabolic boost, and an increase in oxygen intake and blood flow to the brain. The process upregulates your entire system, which lifts your mood and increases your alertness. If you’d like to make cold water therapy a proactive routine, it’s best to take the plunge in the morning as this is akin to a caffeine-free energy boost.

“You might notice an increase in productivity, a decrease in brain fog, and more motivation to tackle stressors throughout your day.”

2. Boxing before breakfast

At the retreat: Another of my favorite parts of the schedule was the boxing before breakfast with RWL’s Combat coach Rochelle Blenman. I used to do a lot of boxercise classes in my 20s but had forgotten how fun—and hard—they are. They are a real brain workout too and the level of concentration and coordination needed is no joke!

Plus, Blenman had a high-energy drum and bass playlist that kept my body moving, and the music and coordination-based cardio (even if I was punching with the wrong arm at times) improved my focus and alertness while keeping my energy levels and mood up.

Back home: Sadly, I couldn’t fit Blenman in my carry-on, so I started her Combat plan on the RWL app. I tried my best to get up before the kids on the first day back, but my eldest had been up a lot in the night with a toothache, so I hit the snooze button a few too many times. But after an early night, I managed to get up on day two at 6am for my fast-and-furious 20-minute online Combat session.

The on-demand online workout was similar to the retreat, with a follow-along choreographed boxing cardio circuit. I was moving non-stop, so while it’s only a relatively short workout, I was sweating by the end. I managed three more morning boxing sessions that week and found that by my last workout on the Sunday my coordination had improved.

By the end of the second week, having fit in three more early boxing sessions, I felt like my mornings were running smoother. While it was still a hustle to sometimes get my kids out of the house on time for the school run, I felt I was calmer and had more energy from having that time to myself during my early morning cardio.

What I really enjoyed about this new healthy habit was that boxing challenges your brain as much as your body. Getting some high-energy exercise before the chaos of the school run also felt like I had some precious time for myself before the start of a busy day.

The expert view: “Boxing combines movement, rhythm, intensity and focus all at one,” says Blenman. “In the morning especially, it helps wake up both the body and mind quickly. I also love how it makes people focus on learning combinations and movement patterns so they’re concentrating on the whole workout, instead of thinking about everything else going on in their lives. It becomes a real mental escape as well as a physical workout.

“Plus, morning workouts really do set the tone for the whole day. They boost energy levels and create a sense of achievement early on, which often leads to healthier choices throughout the day. Although it can sometimes be tough getting up early, there’s such a great feeling knowing you’ve already completed your workout and done something positive for yourself before the day has even properly begun.”

Bedtime breathwork, mobility and meditation

At the retreat: On the first night of the retreat, instead of doom scrolling in bed, we did a pajamas mobility and meditation session. We all lay down with a pillow and fluffy blanket as Blenman guided us through a series of stretches starting from our toes and ending at our neck, all while focusing on our breath.

We then had a short guided meditation designed to let go of stress and any anxiety from a busy day of travelling. Throughout, Blenman encouraged us to focus on breathing slowly to help us relax.

It was a revelation and I made a decision that night that I would adopt this pre-sleep ritual when I got home.

On the second day at the RWL Retreat we did another hour of guided breathwork, this time in the afternoon, which was intense as some uncomfortable emotions I’d been trying to ignore were stirred up—something we were encouraged to try and sit with in order to process them. By the end of the hour I felt like something had shifted in me. It’s hard to explain, but I felt lighter somehow.

Back home: With this in mind, when I got home from the retreat I rediscovered a breathwork expert I used to like called Stuart Sandeman, who runs Breathpod. I signed up for a free trial of the app and followed him on Instagram. Every night I’d get myself ready for bed, turn the lights down low and listen to one of the 10-minute programs, or a shorter Instagram Reel if I was feeling sleepy, at the same time as doing my gentle mobility stretches.

Out of all the healthy habits I learned at the retreat, this was the easiest one to stick to. I really looked forward to this gentle wind-down, and it felt like I dropped off to sleep quicker, I slept deeper and I didn’t wake up feeling groggy like I often would.

I even started doing it with my daughters when they couldn’t sleep.

It effectively signalled to my body that it is time to rest, and I found it helped me switch off from stress and negative thoughts.

The expert view: Certified breathwork facilitator Kamini Wood, CEO at Live Joy Your Way, explained to me why breathwork can be so powerful. “Many people think calming the mind means shutting off thoughts,” she told me, “but that rarely is how things work. The key is to regulate the nervous system first and we can do this through the breath.

“When we slow down, focus on the breath, the body, or the present moment, we interrupt the cycle of overthinking, future-tripping and emotional avoidance. The mind often calms because the body starts to feel safer. The biggest benefit is usually awareness.

“People begin noticing what they are actually feeling instead of immediately reacting, distracting, fixing, or numbing. Over time, this can improve emotional regulation, decrease stress and anxiety, increase clarity and help people feel more connected to themselves.

“It also helps build tolerance for discomfort, which is something many of us struggle with. Most of us were never taught how to actually be with emotion. We were taught to avoid it, explain it away, intellectualize it, or push through it. Practices like this help create space between the emotion and the automatic reaction to escape it. Ironically, emotions often move through more effectively when we stop fighting their existence.”

She adds: “It’s important to mention that this is not about becoming perfectly calm or emotionally ‘good’ all the time. It is about building a healthier relationship with yourself.”

RWL Retreats run in Lagos, Portugal, as well as the U.K. If you can’t make it to a retreat this year, get a taste of what’s on offer at the RWL app.

Tight hips are one of the most common complaints yoga teachers hear from their students, and unsurprisingly, sitting for long periods is often the culprit.

“Over time, prolonged sitting can cause your hip flexors to shorten as an adaptation—and that is usually what people mean when they say they have tight hips,” personal trainer and yoga teacher Cheryl McColgan tells Fit&Well.

This tightness can reduce mobility, impact movements like squatting and lunging, and make everyday activities like climbing the stairs harder.

McColgan’s three-move yoga routine for tight hips is designed to release tension, ease discomfort and combat the effects of prolonged sitting. And, it doesn’t take long to do—just five minutes.

It’s well documented that exercise snacking—breaking movement up into short bursts throughout the day—can boost fitness and support overall health, but McColgan reminded me that consistency is what makes the biggest difference.

“Research shows both stretching and resistance training can improve range of motion, but you have to be consistent with your workouts,” she adds.

McColgan, who is the founder of Heal Nourish Grow, recommends doing this short routine three to five times a week to reduce hip tightness and increase range of motion.

How to do the five-minute yoga routine

“For all these poses, aim for a gentle stretch sensation, not pain,” McColgan says. “Stop for any sharp pain, pinching in the hip joint, catching or numbness, and pay attention to any sensations that linger afterward as that can be a sign the stretch may not be right for your body.”

The moves:

1. Low lunge to half split
2. Kneeling side stretch
3. Reclined bound angle pose

1. Low lunge to half split

Time: 1min each side

Benefits: Targets your hip flexors at the front of your thighs. This move is especially helpful after long periods of sitting to ease tension and lengthen your hamstrings.

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees, then step your right foot forward between your hands. (Place a cushion under your left knee for comfort if needed.)
• Gently tuck your pelvis under to avoid arching your lower back.
• Lean forward over your front knee, stretching the front of your left thigh.
• Shift your hips back toward your left heel, stretching through the back of your right leg. Keep a soft bend in your right knee if needed.
• Flex your right foot and hinge forward from the hips over your right leg.
• Keep your spine long and straight to avoid rounding forward.
• Move between these two positions for one minute, then repeat on the other side.

2. Kneeling side stretch

Time: 1min each side

Benefits: Encourages movement through your hips and pelvis, releasing tension when your synchronize the movement with your breath.

How to do it:

• Kneel with your knees hip-width apart.
• Step your right foot out to the side, extending your right leg, so your toes facing forward and the inside of your foot on the floor.
• Reach both arms overhead, palms facing.
• Inhale and lengthen through your spine.
• Exhale to gently bend your torso to your right, reaching your right hand toward your right leg.
• Inhale to return to upright, arms overhead.
• Continue for time, then repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: Move with the rhythm of your breath rather than trying to hold the deepest stretch.

3. Reclined bound angle pose

Time: 1min

Benefits: Provides a low-intensity stretch for your adductors (the inside of your thighs) and groin, while encouraging relaxation.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees drop out to the sides.
• Place pillows, blocks or folded blankets under your thighs and knees for support if there is any strain.
• Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen to connect to your breath. Alternatively rest your arms on the floor by your sides, palms facing up.

If you want to work on your flexibility, posture and alignment, yoga has countless postures to offer. But what do you do if you’re short on time and can’t get to a class or do a full session?

Yoga teacher Puravi Joshi says that practicing one pose, even for just a few minutes a day, can help you experience some physical and mental benefits.

So which pose should you go for? "I would start with malasana – the yogi squat," says Joshi.

Also known as garland pose in English, it's different to a conventional squat, she says, because it involves sinking your hips much deeper than parallel and holding that position with your back upright. While this might be challenging if you have tight hips and ankles, it does lend some unique benefits.

"It works through the hips, strengthens your core and lengthens through your back," Joshi explains. "It can also help you to become aware of your shoulders and give you an awareness of your ankle flexion."

As well as helping to improve your mobility, Joshi says this pose can also aid with digestion. "For people who struggle with bloating or women who feel bloated around their luteal phase or menstruation period, this is a great pose to stimulate that area without it being too aggressive."

How to do the yogi squat (malasana)

Time: 3-5min

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and your toes turned out at a comfortable angle.
• Slowly lower your hips into a deep squat, keeping your heels grounded and chest lifted.
• Bring your hands together at your chest and use your elbows to gently press your knees outward.
• Hold the position, breathing steadily, keeping your spine long rather than rounding forward.

Tips for doing the yogi squat

Understanding how to perform the yoga squat with correct form is essential for both preventing injury and getting the most out of the posture. Joshi shares the following form tips.

Knees: "Have your knees pointing out at roughly 45° to give yourself a little bit of room," she recommends. This, along with widening the distance between your feet, creates more space for your hips to drop lower.

Upper body: To help you achieve an upright position in your upper body, Joshi suggests becoming aware of your shoulder position. "Extend your arms out in front of you and have an awareness of where your shoulders are. With your arms out in front of you, you should notice if your shoulders are creeping up towards your ears or if they're relaxed, which is where they should be."

Props: "If it feels uncomfortable, you can prop yourself up with a block or a bolster," Joshi says. "Sitting on a block or a bolster can make this pose easier for someone who can't get their hips down that low, and it will still work the hip space."

Anyone who has experienced jaw tension will know just how painful it can be. It can impact your sleep, lead to headaches, and the pain—which can range from mild to severe—may impact your quality of life.

If you've tried a night guard or have quit chewing gum and you're still clenching your jaw or feeling tension and pain, then stress could be the culprit. Yoga is one way of addressing the root cause of stress.

Not only can yoga help lower stress levels and give you the tools to manage the demands of everyday life, but it can also actively relax and soothe your jaw muscles too. Regular practice can reduce the frequency and intensity of jaw clenching and the pain associated with it.

Serena Arora, a yoga therapist with over 20 years of experience, says there's a link between the jaw and the sacrum—the bone at the base of your spine.

"The sacrum and the jaw are intricately connected and mirror each other. When one is tight or rigid, chances are the other is too," Arora says.

While research on this phenomenon is still limited, one small study found that people who have chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which causes jaw pain, had significantly different sacral positions compared with healthy individuals.

"This functional yoga therapy sequence will target and release both the sacrum and jaw," says Arora. "The focus is really to stabilize and strengthen gently.

Yoga to help soothe your jaw and sacrum

To do this routine, you'll need a tennis ball and a mat or a blanket to lie on.

1. Side and hip lengthening

Reps: 4-5 each side

• Lie on your back with your legs extended.
• Breathe slowly and feel your body in contact with the floor.
• Experience your breath, and try to soften your body with every exhalation.
• After a few rounds of breath, inhale and reach your right arm overhead while lengthening your right foot and leg away.
• Lengthen the entire right side of your body, especially around the hip and pelvis.
• Exhale and release.
• Inhale and repeat on the left side.

2. Spinal undulation

Reps: 4-5 each side

• Lie on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
• Place your arms on either side of your head on the floor with your elbows bent at 90°.
• Inhale and arch your spine, open your chest and bring your chin to your chest.
• Exhale and round your spine, pressing your sacrum into the floor and roll your chin and head back.
• Open your mouth to exhale “ha” loudly.

3. Windshield wiper sacral release

Reps: 4-5 each side

• Lie on your back with your arms by the sides of your head, knees bent and feet on the floor wider than hip-distance apart.
• Inhale and drop both knees to your right side, as you turn your chin to the left and reach your left arm overhead.
• Exhale and return to center.
• Inhale and repeat on the other side.

4. Half frog with jaw release

Reps: 4-5 each side

• Lie on your front, holding a tennis ball in your left hand.
• Slide your right knee out to your side, bending it at 90° angle.
• Using your hand, gently push your right buttock cheek down toward your heel, relaxing your right hip.
• Turn your head to the left, with your right facial cheek on the floor.
• Place the tennis ball at your temporal mandibular joint (TMJ), located where your jaw meets your skull next to your ear.
• Keep your jaw slightly open and relax your head into the ball.
• Roll the ball slowly from your TMJ to your right earlobe and back again. Breathe.
• Explore other parts of your jaw by rolling the ball around slowly.
• Repeat on the other side.

Optional progressions:

• Lift your torso enough to slide your left arm under your right armpit.
• Move your right arm behind your back, twisting through your torso to release through your sacrum.
• Breathe and repeat four or five times.

5. Neck release

Reps: 4-5

• Lie on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
• Place a tennis ball behind your neck, just below the base of your skull where your head meets your neck.
• Drop your chin toward your chest and return to the starting position slowly and gently.
• Repeat and breathe, focusing on unclenching your jaw.
• Lower your chin and hold while you slowly turn your your head side to side.
• Return to center and repeat the sequence.

6. Savasana

Hold: 4-5 breaths

• Lie on your back with your legs extended straight on the floor and your arms by your sides, palms facing up.
• Soften every part of your body from the crown of your head to your toes, focusing on your jaw, hips, sacrum, legs and arms.
• Hold for at least four to five breaths but stay for as long as you have time.

When your body feels stiff and achy, a good stretch can be the most satisfying thing to do. But stretching isn't just good for immediate relief—doing it regularly can also improve your mobility and reduce overall stiffness.

Yoga instructor Eloise Skinner says mat-based movements are a great way to experience these benefits, with the floor offering a supportive foundation.

“My favorite places to work for more of a mobility challenge are tabletop or lying on your back,” Skinner says. “I always come back to [them] for mobility and stiffness.”

Postures from both a tabletop position—on your hands and knees—and on your back can relieve stiffness in your hips, spine and shoulders, where tension can easily build up if you spend a lot of time sitting or working at a desk.

“They allow you to ground into the mat, which is good for nervous system regulation and feeling connected to your body,” Skinner explains.

Below, she’s shared three mat-based exercises to help reduce upper-body stiffness and support improved mobility. These postures move your spine through extension, flexion and rotation, and gently stretch and create space through your hips.

1. Cat-cow

Reps: 8

Skinner says: "This is a classic for any kind of stiffness in your shoulders and back. It involves two main movements of the back—flexion and extension. Flexion is the rounding of the back and extension is the backbend. And you can involve your neck too. People think it's a middle-body stretch but it's actually a full spinal stretch and you can really move your hips into it and include you neck."

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips, and your spine in a neutral position.
• Inhale, drop your belly toward the floor, lift your chest and gently raise your chin to look up.
• Exhale, round your spine upward, tuck your chin toward your chest and draw your belly in, pushing your palms into the floor.

2. Spinal twist

Time: 1min each side

Skinner says: "Start by circling your hips before twisting your leg across your body." This posture can be satisfying if you're experiencing back stiffness and it's a great way to mobilize your hips.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your legs extended.
• Bring your right knee to your chest, then slowly lower it onto the floor to your left, keeping both shoulders on the floor.
• Rest your left hand on your right knee and turn your head to your right if it feels comfortable.

3. Happy baby

Time: 1min

Skinner says: "This pose is really good for hip stiffness. Think about facing the soles of your feet to the ceiling. As well as holding the pose, try rocking side to side and straightening one leg then the other."

How to do it:

• Lie on your back and bring your knees toward your chest.
• Take hold of your big toes or the outsides of your feet. If that’s not comfortable, hold your ankles or shins.
• Move your knees and feet out to the sides and lift your feet so the soles face up.
• Gently draw your knees toward the outside of your ribs while keeping your lower back on the floor.
• Hold and breathe steadily.

Yoga offers a multitude of benefits and serves people who practice it in a variety of ways. For some, it’s just a good stretch, while for others, it’s a way of connecting mind, body and spirit.

Adriene Mishler, better known online as Yoga With Adriene, shared a 10-minute routine this week that promises to reset your nervous system, which got us wondering what that actually means?

Simon Smail, a GP (medical doctor) in the U.K. and medical director of Evergreen Medical & Wellness Clinic in Edinburgh, says that the nervous system referred to in this context is the autonomic nervous system, which manages the body’s fight-or-flight response.

“Nervous system regulation is popular shorthand rather than a formal medical diagnosis, but it broadly refers to how the body moves from a heightened state of stress to a calmer baseline,” he explains.

“Everyone has a nervous system that naturally moves between activation and recovery throughout the day, so in that sense we can all benefit from habits that support good regulation.

“People who feel chronically stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, burnt out and wired may benefit more than other people.”

This doesn’t mean you'll never get stressed again.

“The goal is not to be calm all the time, but to have a flexible stress response—you’re able to rise to challenges and then settle afterwards,” Smail concludes.

So, can yoga help to reset the nervous system?

Anything that helps you feel less stressed can support the nervous system, and yoga is a great stress relief tool for a lot of people.

“I think yoga can be really helpful because it combines several of the things we know can help support stress regulation: gentle movement, stretching, controlled breathing, and body awareness,” Smail explains.

How to do Yoga With Adriene's 10-minute nervous system reset practice

You don’t need any equipment to do this routine, but it is a practice that’s done entirely from a seated or lying position, so you might want to roll out your yoga mat.

You can also do this routine from a chair, according to Mishler, because the main focus of the routine is controlled breathing.

If you’re anything like me, by the time the clock hits 2pm, you’re reaching for an afternoon coffee for an energy boost.

No matter how much sleep I’ve had—or how productive my morning has been—when I’m working from home, the post-lunch crash always hits.

Keen to cut down on my caffeine intake and find a better way to beat the afternoon slump, I asked breathwork practitioner Ramon Ghosh for a technique that would restore energy and focus.

“Breathwork responses are always individual, but I find that an activating breathwork technique with a short sequence of intentional nasal breaths, coupled with gentle breath holds, gets my energy up and focus improved without leaving me overstimulated,” Ghosh tells Fit&Well.

Ghosh’s practice involves three to four rounds of 30 intentional breaths in and out through the nose followed by a breath hold.

The intentional breaths are controlled, purposefully overriding your body's automatic breathing.

It sounds simple, but there’s a science to it. The nasal breathing pattern can aid what’s known as the Bohr effect.

“When we breathe this way it can create a brief rise in CO2, lowering our blood pH and helping oxygen to be released into our tissues, which is what can make us feel more focused,” Ghosh explains.

The result? “A mind that’s clearer, a body that’s more awake, and a nervous system that’s more responsive,” Ghosh says.

How breathwork can help you feel energised

I regularly practice relaxing breathwork techniques when I'm feeling stressed, overwhelmed or struggling to sleep. Usually they leave me feeling calm and relaxed—but that’s not quite what I’m looking for in the afternoon when my energy is low and I’m already feeling sleepy.

There's a key distinction between Ghosh's activating breathwork practice and my usual relaxation techniques.

“Relaxation breathwork is designed to downregulate the nervous system into a parasympathetic/rest-and-digest state,” explains Ghosh. These practices involve reducing the number of breaths per minute, and regulating our breathing by making our exhales longer.

“With energising breathwork we’re activating our nervous system into a sympathetic state, so that we feel switched on,” Ghosh explains.

“This will often involve stronger breathing practices including breath holds to create a state of being alert, without pushing the body or mind into feeling wired.”

How to do Ghosh’s activating breathwork practice

Time: 5-7min

• Sit or lie comfortably with your body relaxed.
• Breathe intentionally through the nose for 30 rounds, keep the breath flowing, intentional and controlled. This should not feel at maximal effort.
• After 30 inhales and exhales, take a normal inhale through the nose, exhale normally through the nose, then hold the breath after the exhale until you feel a moderate urge to breathe—this should not feel like a maximum breath hold.
• Breathe in through the nose and recover.
• Take calm nasal breaths for around 10-15 seconds to recover.
• Repeat for three to four rounds

“Afterwards, sit still for a few breaths and notice how you feel,” advises Ghosh.

“The aim is not to push or strain, it is to create a controlled challenge, then return to calm breathing.”

If you’re trying breathwork for the first time, practice safely and ideally guided by a coach. Never practice this technique while driving, in water, or standing.

What happened when I tried Ghosh’s activating breathwork practice

I tried Ghosh’s practice throughout the working week. Every time I did it, I noticed my focus improved. Rather than feeling relaxed or drowsy like I would with downregulating practices, I felt grounded, calm, and ready to get on with the rest of my work.

In the middle of a deadline when I didn’t think I had time for breathwork, I almost skipped it and reached for a coffee instead. But, it took no longer than making a coffee would—and the benefits felt far greater.

Unlike my afternoon coffee habit, which could spike my cortisol levels and disrupt my sleep if I drank it too late in the day, Ghosh’s breathwork practice focused on nervous system activation in a controlled way and I could do it anywhere, anytime, and see instant benefits.

I did miss the coffee ritual though. There’s something about stepping away from my screen for a mid-afternoon pause and a hot drink that’s comforting. Instead of cutting it out completely, I’ve decided to swap coffee for tea alongside my breathwork, so I get the best of both worlds.

It’s widely accepted that for most people, living a long, healthy life depends on getting enough sleep, eating well and staying physically active. However, there’s one muscle group that it may be worth paying extra attention to to maximize your longevity.

“Having stronger and larger quads are associated with better outcomes across multiple populations,” says Corey Podbielski, a board-certified doctor of physical therapy at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare.

Podbielski says quad strength is important because it is closely related to many functional movements. “Getting up from the floor, getting out of a chair, climbing up/down stairs, and squatting to lift objects all require strong quads,” he says.

“When we build strength in these big muscles in the front of the thighs, it keeps us more independent with our mobility, leading to decreased falls, improved quality of life, and higher capacity for exercise and activity.

“If someone were to end up on the floor, having sufficient strength and flexibility might better allow for that person to be able to stand back up on their own,” says Podbielski. “This would be particularly useful if they fell in a situation where they were alone.”

To counteract this decline, he says building and maintaining strength and flexibility is key. This can be crucial after a fall, helping people to regain their footing and maintain independence.

How to build quad strength

The key strategy he recommends is progressive resistance training, which helps maintain a healthy muscular system that communicates with the brain and nervous system, and supports bone density.

“It also ensures that our muscles are able to accept the challenges we put on them with our daily activities, such as walking, lifting, climbing stairs, getting on and off the floor.”

To build quad strength, he says functional movements such as squats and deadlifts are good. Ideally, resistance training should be done two to three times a week. Follow our beginner strength training plan at home and you’ll perform both of those exercises in the three-workout-a-week routine.

This can be combined with exercise guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week—such as brisk walking, cycling or dancing—or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise like running, swimming or fast cycling.

He also recommends improving flexibility through activities like yoga, practiced two to three times per week.

Regular yoga classes generally involve floor-based postures, but if getting down on to and up from the floor is uncomfortable, it doesn’t mean you can’t practice yoga.

Michelle A. Thielen, a yoga therapist and founder of faith-based teacher training school YogaFaith, has shared a yoga routine specifically designed to be done seated.

This routine takes a few popular yoga postures and modifies them for the chair.

“Practice with a sturdy, armless and wheelless chair,” Thielen advises. “Be sure all parts of the chair are on a non-slip floor. Placing the chair on a sticky yoga mat is best unless you are practicing on carpet. Feel free to keep non-slip tennis shoes on as you practice.”

Make sure you feel comfortable and supported while seated so place a block under your feet if your feet don’t touch the floor. You can also sit on a cushion or the edge of a folded blanket to elevate your hips.

While we’ve included suggestions for how long to hold or repeat poses, Thielen encourages you to take your time, and to breathe, connect and notice.

Five chair yoga poses for beginners

1. Easy pose (sukhasana)

• Sit toward the front of your chair with your feet flat on the floor or on a block or bolster.
• Place a cushion or folded blanket under your sitting bones for elevated hips.
• Focus on maintaining a natural spinal curve.
• Rest your hands on your thighs or in prayer position at your chest.
• Take five deep breaths, focusing on abdominal breathing.
• Inhale through your nose, filling up your belly, exhale through your mouth, exhaling loudly if you like.

Tip: Feel your ribs expand each time you inhale, and lengthen and exaggerate your exhalations each time.

2. Seated forward fold (paschimottanasana)

• Begin in easy pose. Inhale.
• As you exhale, fold your torso forward.
• As you inhale, return to easy pose.
• Continue for five breath cycles, or as long as you wish. Fold down over your thighs, reaching your hands toward your feet and the floor.

Tip: You can also reach your arms overhead during easy pose, then reach them forward as you fold forward.

3. Staff pose (dandasana)

• From an upright seated position, place your hands on the chair beside your hips.
• Press your hands into the chair to support extending your legs out in front—one at a time or both together.
• If you feel confident, raise your arms overhead.
• Hold for five breaths.

4. Seated spinal twist (vakrasana)

Reps: 5 each side

• From an upright seated position, inhale to lengthen your torso.
• Exhale, rotate your torso to the right bringing your left hand to your right knee.
• Inhale to return to center and repeat on the other side.
• Continue for five rotations on each side, or as long as you wish.

5. Seated savasana

• From a comfortable seated position, rest your arms on your lap, palms up or down.
• Support your back with a cushion if needed.
• Become aware of your whole body and breath.
• Stay for at least five breaths, or longer if you have time.

Tip: “Remember that savasana, while appearing simple, is often considered the most challenging posture as it requires complete surrender and stillness (when practicing as a final posture),” says Thielen. “This is also considered the most important posture as it allows the integration of your practice.”

Can you stand steady on one leg for 10 seconds?

That was the test put to 1,702 individuals in one longitudinal study on over-50-year-olds, with findings showing that those who can have a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

In the study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022, participants across an 11-year period were assessed on their ability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds without losing balance.

This data was then cross-referenced against anthropometric measurements, including waist circumference and body mass index (commonly known as BMI), to interpret the role of these variables on survival rates and risk of mortality.

“That research has shown balance can actually be a meaningful marker of overall health and longevity,” says Jacque Crockford of the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

“Balance and core strength are foundational components of healthy movement and long-term independence,” she tells Fit&Well. “For older adults in particular, balance training is one of the most effective strategies for preserving independence and reducing fall risk.”

How to perform the 10-second one-legged stance test

In the study, the balance test was performed barefoot, with arms relaxed by their sides and eyes open.

They were asked to lift one foot off the floor and rest it against the back of the opposite lower leg, rather than holding it raised in free space.

Both left and right legs were tested and timing only started once in position with one foot resting on the other leg.

A pass was determined if the participant could hold this one-legged stance unbroken for a full 10 seconds.

What did the results show?

Of the 1,702 individuals assessed in the prospective cohort study, 20.4% failed the balance test, with pass rates declining with age.

For example, 4.5% of participants aged between 51-55 failed the test, compared with 53.6% for those aged 71-75.

How to interpret your score

While Crockford acknowledges that tests like this can provide useful information in structured assessment settings, they’re really “just snapshots” in time.

“[The 2022 study] doesn’t mean standing on one leg causes longevity,” she says.

“But it does suggest balance reflects multiple systems working well together, including muscular strength, neurological function and mobility.”

Most people, she adds, don’t necessarily need a formal balance assessment to know whether balance and core stability are areas they should work on.

“The real question is: how confidently and comfortably can you move through daily life?”

How to improve balance at any age

For most people, Crockford says you should focus less on passing a test, and more on “maintaining the ability to move confidently, react quickly and stay independent as you age”.

For example, can you walk up stairs without grabbing the railing? Can you step over a curb smoothly? Can you get up off the floor easily? Or stand on one leg while putting on a shoe?

“Those are all real-world expressions of balance, stability and core control,” she says.

So, while there is value in practicing the single-leg stance test to improve your score, a better use of your time would be to include real-world activities that challenge your balance in a safe setting.

“Strategies include simple things like single-leg exercises, walking on uneven surfaces, strength training, yoga, tai chi and even standing on one foot while brushing your teeth,” says Crockford.

“These can all help improve balance and stability over time.”

If you find images of yogis standing on their heads or doing acrobatic poses an intimidating reflection of yoga, rest assured this isn’t the only way to practice it. Yoga is a wonderfully accessible form of exercise.

Melissa Leach, a yoga instructor and strength and conditioning coach at Yoga-Go, says it’s a great way to move your body as you get older.

“By the age of 60, the average person may have lost a significant amount of their total muscle mass, a natural age-related condition known as sarcopenia,” Leach says. “This decrease in strength can lead to reduced mobility, loss of balance, and an increased risk of falls and fractures.”

Yoga can help with this. “Yoga supports strength, flexibility, balance and mindfulness; and its low-impact nature makes it a great option for anyone over 60,” adds Leach.

“Regular practice helps maintain mobility, reduces stiffness in the joints, and strengthens muscles that support posture and stability, helping people move better and maintain their independence for longer,” she says.

The best yoga poses for the over 60s

Below, Leach has shared her favorite yoga poses for people in their 60s. You don’t need any equipment for the routine, although you may want to roll out a non-slip yoga mat for comfort and stability.

Despite being a relatively short routine, there are many benefits.

“Each of these poses helps to improve posture, balance, and body awareness by strengthening areas such as the legs or chest,” Leach says.

“This not only supports better mobility but also helps reduce the risks of falls that become more frequent with age.

“Other benefits include improved digestion and relief from stiffness, particularly in your back. Alongside these benefits, the focus on mindful breathing during a yoga practice is a powerful way to ease overall tension and reduce stress.”

The yoga routine is beginner-friendly and the timings Leach has suggested for each move are tailored to beginners.

If you’re more experienced or want to challenge yourself, you can gradually increase the time for each pose and the number of sets you complete.

1. Mountain

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec

• Stand with your feet close and your arms relaxed by your sides, feeling that your weight is evenly distributed on both feet.
• Engage your thighs slightly, lift your chest and lengthen your spine as you inhale and exhale.
• Roll your shoulders back and down, and reach your arms up overhead if comfortable.
• Hold the position, breathing deeply and steadily, grounding yourself through your feet and experiencing your whole body.

Make it harder: Increase your time in the pose to 40 to 60 seconds and eventually work up to one to two minutes.

2. Tree

Sets: 2-3 Time: 10-15sec each side

• From mountain pose, shift your weight onto your left foot.
• Focus your gaze on a fixed point in front of you.
• Moving with control, place the sole of your right foot on your inner left thigh, calf or ankle—wherever it’s most comfortable to balance, avoiding the knee.
• Bring your hands to a prayer position at your chest.
• Hold the pose, then switch sides.

Make it harder: Raise your arms and bring your palms together overhead to challenge your balance further. Once comfortable, increase your time in the pose to 20 or 30 seconds on each side, working up to 40 to 60 seconds.

3. Seated spinal twist

Sets: 2-3 Time: 10-15sec each side

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended.
• Place your right foot flat on the floor on the outside of your left knee.
• Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee and twist your torso to face right.
• Hold the position for time, breathing deeply, then repeat on the other side.

Make it harder: Hold for 20 or 30 seconds on each side and build up to 40 to 60 seconds for three sets.

4. Cat-cow

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 5-6

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Inhale as you arch your back and lift your tailbone and head.
• Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin and tailbone.
• Flow gently between the two moves, coordinating with your breath.

Make it harder: Work up to two sets of eight to 10 rounds, then two to three sets of 12 to 15 rounds.

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At 85 years young, Jim Owen believes he’s only getting better with age.

Technically, he’s only really in the early stages of his fitness journey, having gone from a “35lb overweight couch potato” at 70 to a 10-time San Diego Senior Games gold medal winner.

Those past 15 years have proven to him that it’s never too late to take control of your health and fitness, and he’s spreading the message with a short film, The Virtuous Circle: A Geezer’s Guide to Successful Aging, which premieres on PBS on May 17.

Now, the former Wall Street executive has a set of daily rituals or habits he adheres to, which he believes help him “live young” and “fight off old age”.

1. He starts the day with shadow boxing

Owen starts every day the same way: he looks in the mirror, puts his hands up and starts throwing jabs.

“It’s the first thing I do every morning,” he tells Fit&Well.

“Call me crazy. I do shadow boxing. I’ve got boxing gloves. People say, ‘Jim, what the hell are you doing?’ Well, to me, old age is about seven feet tall and he weighs 300 pounds.

“I say, ‘Someday sucker, you’re going to win, but it ain’t going to be today.’ That's how I start my day off, just laughing, just having fun with it.”

This simple act, he says, is a reminder to never take yourself too seriously.

2. He does an hour of exercise six days a week

Owen says it took roughly five years to build a foundation of strength and fitness that made exercise shift from tough to fun.

“When I started out at 70 it was tough, I’m not going to say it was easy,” he says.

“But you don’t have to lift heavy weights. You don’t have to have a gym or a trainer. But you have to move.”

Owen says there is “nothing fancy” about his typical routine, which cycles through strength, cardio and mobility workouts for roughly an hour a day, six days a week.

“I do whole-body workouts. I work on balance, cardio. I do strength training. I do agility. I work on my weaknesses. To this day I have tight hips and weak glutes.

“But the key is you just got to keep moving.”

This mantra, he says, helped him lose 35lb. “But more importantly, I’ve kept it off.”

3. He takes regular strolls with his wife

Two out of three weekly cardio sessions involve walking uphill to go easy on his joints while still challenging his respiratory system.

But every day he’ll find time to take a stroll with his wife, Stanya.

“We work out together,” he says.

“We love walking on the beach together. I live in California, in San Diego. We have a great time, it’s a fun aspect of exercising.”

Sharing this time together, Owen says, means exercise never feels like a chore.

“I’m her biggest cheerleader. I clap when she does something, like getting a personal best. The fun from getting a personal best is a real pick-up in your life,” he says.

“For me, the whole day just goes better, it goes smoother from then on.”

4. He practices gratitude

Lastly, Owen tries to remind himself that being able to “just move” is a privilege not to be taken for granted.

“It’s never like, ‘Oh my god, I have to work out.’ You choose to work out,” he says.

“If you do that, I promise, anyone is going to feel better, and maybe even look better. But the payoff, I believe, is a positive attitude.”

Owen believes committing to walk, even for just 10 minutes a day, or doing an hour workout six days a week, or entering the San Diego Senior Games is “at least 80% attitude,” he says.

That mindset sustains him on days when he doesn’t have much energy.

“On those days, I cut back. Fewer reps, less weight.

“And guess what? I feel so much better.”

I’ve been practising yoga for more than 10 years and have worked with hundreds of teachers at studios all over the world. But I always come back to the routines Adriene Mishler posts on her Yoga With Adriene YouTube channel.

The routines are simple to follow and always make me feel better, physically and mentally.

Her latest video is a 12-minute routine for stiff hips. Since I regularly experience hips and lower back pain from working at a desk, I was excited to give it a try.

It’s a gentle routine, which is ideal for breaking up the working day, providing my body a break from sitting and my mind a break from thinking.

How to do Yoga With Adriene’s gentle yoga for tight hips

You don’t need any equipment for this routine, just a yoga mat or something comfortable and non-slip to lie on.

My experience trying Yoga With Adriene’s gentle yoga for tight hips

Despite being just 12 minutes long, this practice includes five of my favourite hip stretches.

The routine moves through cat-cow, child’s pose, low lunge, figure-four and butterfly. These are all beginner-friendly poses that activate different parts of the hips.

Mishler generally advises to hold the poses passively, which meant my muscles had time to relax and I could move even deeper into the stretch

By the end of the routine, my hips felt a lot less stiff and sitting at my desk was more comfortable. I’ll definitely go back to this routine as a simple but effective way to stretch my hips in future and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their hip flexibility.

I love having a spa day but it’s not something I get to do as often as I’d like. The new Gymproluxe sauna pod has changed all that.

It’s a portable steam room that can reach up to 131℉ (55℃), and it packs down into a bag that’s less than 2 feet in diameter, so it’s easily stored in a wardrobe or under a bed.

There are multiple benefits of heat therapy from a sauna: it can reduce inflammation, muscle and joint pain and stress, as well as speeding up post-workout recovery while improving circulation and sleep.

I tried the Gymproluxe sauna pod for a month to see how many of these benefits I could tick off the list. Here’s what happened, plus everything you need to know about the sauna pod.

Using the Gymproluxe sauna pod

The sauna pod is like a pop-up tent or spray tan booth in structure, so it’s really quick and easy to throw up as you don’t need to use poles or tools.

It has 15 temperature settings ranging from 59℉ to 131℉ (15-55℃). I kept the temperature on the highest setting and was pleased with how hot it got, as I had wrongly thought it wouldn’t be hot enough to feel worthwhile.

I tended to spend 10-15 minutes in it, anything longer was too much for me—the brand recommends between 20 to 30 minutes.

I set it up in my living room and feared this would mean the room would be full of condensation at first, but I was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t steam up anything apart from the pod itself.

The sauna pod takes about 10 minutes to heat up. It comes with a steamer unit that you put water into and then close the lid before plugging it into a power source. A tube from the steamer unit connects to the pod to fill the space with heat.

Running costs are pretty cheap, with a 30-minute session costing around the same as boiling a kettle—about $0.25.

The Gymproluxe sauna pod also comes with a waterproof LED disco light that can be stowed in an overhead pocket, which is a nice touch.

The portable sauna has a height limit of 6 feet 4 inches, which is worth paying attention to. While it comes with a foldable chair—like the type you’d take camping—you don’t experience as much heat when you sit down. I found it better to stand.

Another reason why I liked it more than I thought I would is that the pod is quick to clean and take down.

After turning the sauna off, let it cool for around 30 minutes with the zip still closed to keep the steam in. Then, open it up and clean any leftover moisture with a sponge.

The benefits of the Gymproluxe sauna pod

It took the edge off my post-workout muscle soreness

I find that delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can be really painful, especially on day two after a workout. While upping my protein and drinking more water can help with my achy muscles, it’s basically a waiting game. Or, so I thought.

I started having a 10-minute sauna post-exercise and it honestly took the edge off my usual post-workout achy muscles. The soreness was less intense and didn’t last as long.

This is because the heat from the sauna makes the blood vessels in your skin and muscles expand (a process known as vasodilation), which boosts circulation and helps your sore muscles recover after exercise.

It helped me relax

As a busy single mom working as a fitness writer and personal trainer, it can be hard to make time to switch off and slow down. But having a home sauna was great because I didn’t need to spend loads of time in it to feel the benefit.

It also helped me get into a self-care routine on weekends when my daughters were away. I’d start my Sunday with a cold water swim in the lake near my house, then warm up in the sauna afterwards.

Over the month, this became a relaxing ritual that helped me to feel calmer and more present. Forcing myself to concentrate on my breathing while in the sauna also became a meditative practice.

This calm feeling is backed by science. Heat therapy stimulates thermoreceptors in the skin that tell the brain to relax, triggering feel-good hormones like endorphins, which boost mood.

Switching between cold and heat therapy can also be beneficial for improving circulation, although starting with hot therapy followed by a cold plunge is what’s generally recommended.

It made my skin glow

The pod generates a moist heat rather than the dryness of a traditional sauna, but it was still more than hot enough to get me sweaty.

The heat opens the pores, and I noticed my skin felt more refreshed and dewy after a month of using it. You can even put essential oils in the steamer unit, or go in with a face or hair mask on, to give yourself a real home spa experience.

One caveat: after having a couple of sauna sessions in the same day, a few days later, I woke up with pimples (fortunately, a rare occurrence for me) so I’d recommend limiting it to once daily if you have sensitive skin.

The steam also quickly sent my hair into a crazy ’80s style bouffant, so it’s probably not advisable to use the pod before a night out.

It helped me sleep better

Saunas can boost relaxation and reduce stress, and this can improve sleep quality. As I’m perimenopausal, struggling to sleep and waking several times a night has become a regular occurrence for me.

The sauna sessions made a noticeable difference. I found I was falling asleep faster, waking less in the night, and if I did wake up I could fall back to sleep quicker.

When I looked into it, I discovered that being in a sauna raises your core body temperature and then when you get out, you cool down fairly fast. This cooling phase mimics a drop in temperature that happens just before you fall asleep, which can make you feel deeply relaxed and able to drop off more quickly.

Jill Jones is on a mission to change the status quo of aging.

The ISSA-certified personal trainer, owner of Colosseum Gym in New Jersey and co-founder of online platform FitQuo, believes building muscle is the ultimate aging defence.

“Strength training should be accessible, sustainable and part of everyday life at any age,” she tells Fit&Well.

It’s why she launched FitQuo with co-founder Elizabeth Reeder, to help people get stronger, feel more energized and better able to take charge of their health in the gym or at home.

Now, after years of working with older adults and beginners, she has realized that a handful of factors underpin longevity.

“I’ve found that five things matter most when it comes to aging well,” says Jones.

“Not just living longer, but living better.”

1. Balance and stability

“Falls are one of the leading causes of injury in adults over 65,” says Jones.

Most are preventable. “Balance is a skill, and like any skill, it gets better with practice,” she says.

Jones urges everyone to incorporate single-leg work, slow and controlled movements, and exercises that challenge your coordination, like single-leg deadlifts, to “train your body to catch itself” if you trip or stumble.

“My clients come in wanting to look better. They stay because they feel better, safer, steadier and more confident in everything they do.”

2. Mobility and joint health

Pain and tightness are not inevitable.

“Many of my clients come to me believing that pain is just part of getting older,” says Jones.

Then, within weeks of working together, their stiff hips, tight shoulders or aching knees become a thing of the past.

“Joints need to move to feel good, and when we stop moving through our full range of motion, the body starts closing those ranges off permanently,” she explains.

“Our bodies adapt to our level of movement. A sedentary lifestyle is the real enemy, not our age.”

3. Resistance training for bone and muscle strength

After 30, we naturally start losing muscle mass.

“This process accelerates after 60,” says Jones. “But here’s what most people don’t realize: resistance training doesn’t just slow that loss, it can actually reverse it.”

Building strength is equally protective for your bones too, she adds.

“Using weights signals the body to maintain bone density, which is critical for preventing fractures.

“You don’t need heavy weights, you just need to show up consistently and do the exercises that actually matter.”

4. Cardiovascular fitness

Traditional cardio isn’t the only way to improve your heart health.

“You don't have to run a 5K to improve VO2 max—the measure of how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise,” explains Jones.

“For beginners and older adults, simply raising your heart rate in a controlled, rhythmic way through marching, stepping or brisk walking is enough to make meaningful progress.”

The goal is effort, not speed.

As your fitness improves, Jones says you can introduce new movements like dynamic mountain climbers to keep sessions physically challenging and mentally stimulating.

5. Confidence and independence

“Confidence is built through habit and progression,” says Jones.

“This is the transformation I love watching most, when people who once moved through the world with hesitation start to stand taller, moving more freely, and choose to work out not out of fear but because they’ve worked hard for that fitness and they refuse to lose it.”

When that lightbulb goes off, she adds, there’s nothing quite like it.

“That shift is worth more than any fitness metric.”

Jones has designed this 21-minute full-body workout, which she believes addresses all of the above.

“It can be done entirely from your living room,” she says. “All you need is a chair and a light pair of dumbbells.”

We all know we should clean our teeth daily, but good oral hygiene can do more for you than give you a healthy smile. According to experts, it could improve your brain health and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Poor dental care can lead to gum disease (gingivitis) when bacteria builds up around the teeth and gums, which can result in more severe and irreversible gum disease, known as periodontitis. These bacteria don’t always stay put—they can enter the bloodstream and trigger chronic inflammation, which is linked to brain aging and conditions like Alzheimer’s.

“Multiple large studies and scientific reviews now show a consistent link between gum disease and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia,” says dentist and oral health expert Dr Kami Hoss, author of If Your Mouth Could Talk.

“A 2025 umbrella of reviews—covering 52 studies spanning two decades—suggests that people with gum disease are significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those with healthy gums.”

Hoss, who is also the founder of oral care brand SuperMouth, adds: “None of this surprises me. The mouth is not a separate system. It has never been. And science is finally catching up to what dentists have understood for a long time.”

How can bacteria in the mouth influence the brain?

“There are multiple pathways—the most direct route is through the bloodstream,” explains Hoss. “When gums are inflamed, the tissue lining becomes compromised and the bacteria from your mouth spill into your blood every time you brush, eat or even chew.”

This means the bacteria can travel to distant organs, including the brain.

“Oral pathogens [microorganisms that can cause disease in the body] may also migrate directly to the brain through your nose or gut,” explains Hoss. “When the balance of bacteria in your mouth is disrupted, it can alter your gut bacteria too, and through what researchers call the gut-brain axis, that gut disruption promotes inflammation in the brain.”

Hoss says bleeding gums are a sign of inflammation. “That inflamed tissue creates a gap in your mouth's protective barrier that allows bacteria and their toxic byproducts directly into your blood.

“Once in the bloodstream, the primary gum disease bacterium, Porphyromonas gingivalis, releases toxins that damage the brain’s protective shield—the ‘blood-brain barrier’.”

Once that barrier is weakened, harmful substances can reach the brain more easily, potentially triggering inflammation and changes linked to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, he adds.

Hoss says the evidence that poor dental hygiene can affect brain health is compelling. “It’s strong enough that we can’t dismiss it. The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease has been reported to double within a decade following a diagnosis of gum disease. That statistic stops people cold in my lectures—and it should.”

He points to a 2019 study published in Science Advances that found evidence of Porphyromonas gingivalis—the primary bacterium behind chronic gum disease—in the brains of some Alzheimer's patients.

Hoss says: “They also identified toxic proteins produced by this bacterium called gingipains in those same brains. The levels of gingipains correlated directly with the hallmark damage seen in Alzheimer's disease.

“You are finding a gum disease bacterium living inside the brain of an Alzheimer's patient, and the more of it you find, the worse the neurological damage.”

He adds: “More recently, the National Institutes of Health funded a $2.8 million research project at the Dental College of Georgia specifically to understand exactly how these oral bacteria may be invading the brain. The scientific community is no longer treating this as a fringe theory. It is a serious and active field of investigation.”

How to improve your oral and brain health

So, what can you do other than regular brushing and flossing? Hoss shared four things we can all do to reduce the risks further.

1. Avoid ultra-processed foods, especially refined sugars

“Diet is one of the most powerful levers we have and most people dramatically underestimate it,” says Hoss. “Refined sugars and ultra-processed foods directly feed the bacteria that cause gum disease, while also driving the body-wide inflammation connected to cognitive decline. That is two harms for the price of one.”

Hoss offers up some good news: “On the positive side, diets rich in whole foods, healthy fats, fermented foods, and colorful vegetables support both a healthier oral microbiome and a healthier brain.

“Fiber-rich plant foods act as natural prebiotics, feeding the beneficial bacteria in both your mouth and gut. Leafy greens support nitric oxide production, which benefits blood vessel health in both the brain and the gum tissue. What feeds your gums tends to feed your brain. The overlap is not coincidental—it is biological.”

2. Exercise regularly

Yes, there’s yet another benefit to exercising. Hoss explains that it “reduces the inflammatory proteins circulating in your blood, improves blood flow to the brain, and supports a more resilient immune response in your gum tissue.” This means white blood cells can combat bacteria more effectively.

“The lifestyle patterns that damage your gums tend to damage your heart and brain simultaneously. And the lifestyle patterns that protect one tend to protect all three. That is not a coincidence–it is a shared biology.”

3. Try an after-meals mouth spray and/or xylitol sugar-free gum

Hoss suggests that sugar-free gum containing xylitol can help reduce the bacteria that most causes cavity and gum disease, it does this by stimulating saliva production and raising oral pH between meals.

“Saliva is your mouth's natural defense and repair system. Not all sugar-free gum is xylitol gum, so read the label,” says Hoss, who also thinks there’s another tool that deserves far more attention than it gets: a mouth spray designed for use after meals.

“Most people have no oral care option between brushing sessions, which means hours of acid exposure, bacterial activity, and pH imbalance going unchecked throughout the day,” he explains.

“A well-formulated mouth spray with no artificial ingredients, no alcohol, an alkaline pH, and prebiotic ingredients can quickly neutralize the acid environment after eating, support the beneficial bacterial community, and freshen breath without disrupting your microbiome the way that alcohol-based sprays and rinses do.”

4. Focus on good quality sleep and stress reduction

How stressed you are and your sleep quality can negatively impact gum health.

“Stress hormones like cortisol and catecholamines can directly alter the behavior and growth of gum disease bacteria, essentially making them more aggressive,” says Hoss. “When you are chronically stressed, your immune system is suppressed and the pathogens in your gums are receiving a biological signal to become more harmful.

“Sleep compounds this. Poor sleep raises systemic inflammation, weakens immunity and reduces salivary flow.

“Managing sleep quality and stress is not just about your mental health. It should genuinely be part of your oral health strategy.”

Ideal oral hygiene routine

Hoss shares the routine he thinks you should be following:

• Brush for two minutes twice a day with a sonic electric toothbrush with PBT bristles, a pressure sensor and a UV sanitizing hub—to ensure your brush head is not reintroducing bacteria into your mouth with every use.
• Angle your toothbrush towards the gumline where the most dangerous bacteria colonize.
• Floss daily to break up the bacterial film between teeth—where your brush can’t reach.
• Choose toothpaste, mouthwash and floss that contain prebiotic ingredients including inulin (plant-derived fiber) and xylitol (a natural sugar alcohol) that feed and support the good bacteria in your mouth.

I find sitting cross-legged far from comfortable. My hips feel tight, my groin and lower back quickly feel achy, and my knees remain well above the floor. This posture always reminds me that I need to do some hip mobility work.

So I asked Cesca Dinardo, yoga teacher and founder of wellness platform Align, how to improve my hip mobility and she recommended the following flow.

It should take five to 10 minutes, is suitable for all levels and requires only a yoga mat. A rolled-up towel or block can also be helpful if your hips are very tight.

Dinardo recommends moving slowly through these five poses, breathing deeply, and spending between 60 and 90 seconds on each side to experience the full benefits.

It can be particularly useful to incorporate at the beginning or end of your day, especially if you are a desk worker or someone who spends a lot of time seated.

Let me know in the comments how you find the flow and if the postures make a difference to your hip mobility.

1. Fire log pose

Hold: 5-8 breaths each side

• Sit on the floor, or on a yoga block.
• Place your left lower leg on top of your right in front of you.
• Sit upright, or fold forward slightly for a deeper stretch.
• Hold for five to eight slow breaths, then switch sides.

Form tip: Place a folded blanket under your hips for comfort or support.

2. Tiger pose

Hold: 5 breaths each side

• Get on your hands and knees with your shoulders directly above your wrists and your hips directly above your knees.
• Inhale and lift your right leg, keeping your knee bent.
• If your mobility allows, reach your left hand toward your right foot, and gently pull your right foot toward your head.
• Hold the pose for five deep breaths, then release and repeat on the other side.

Form tip: Avoid rotating your pelvis, keep your hips level with the floor.

3. Low lunge

Hold: 5 breaths each side

• Stay on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Step your right foot forward between your hands.
• Sweep both arms overhead and press your hips forward and down.
• Lengthen through your spine and gaze forward or up.
• Hold for five deep breaths, then transition directly into the next pose on the same side.

Form tip: Keep your front knee directly above your ankle. Don’t allow it to move forward past your toes.

4. Extended side angle variation

Hold: 5 breaths each side

• From a low lunge with your right foot forward, place your right hand on the floor on the inside of your right foot.
• Keeping your left knee in place, move your left foot to the right behind you.
• Extend your left arm overhead, rotating your torso to face left.
• Take five deep breaths, then step back to your hands and knees.
• Repeat poses three and four on your left side.

Form tip: If reaching your elbow to the floor feels too challenging, place your elbow on a block or your knee.

5. Savasana

Time: 2min or longer

• Lie on your back with your legs and feet separated and your arms a little away from your body, palms facing up.
• Close your eyes and allow your hips to fully release and relax into the floor.
• Do not control your breath—just observe it.
• Stay in the pose for at least two minutes.

Form tip: Place a bolster under your knees for extra support if needed.

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear as a meditation practitioner is that you need to be sitting still, cross-legged on a yoga mat with your eyes closed to practice mindfulness.

While there are many types of mindfulness practices—from breathwork and guided meditation to visualization—there is one technique I return to regularly and always recommend to clients. And it can be done seated in a chair, standing or lying down.

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a relaxation technique developed by an American physician in the early 1900s. It involves tensing and releasing muscle groups in turn.

It’s common to carry physical tension, often without realizing it. Think hunched shoulders or a clenched jaw, both of which can be seen as symptoms of modern, busy lives.

A PMR practice helps to bring awareness to stress in your body, and through the muscle contraction and relaxation process, it releases both physical and mental tension.

The practice involves tensing a specific muscle group for a few seconds as you inhale, then releasing the contraction as you exhale.

The science behind the technique is compelling, too. A 2021 study found 20 minutes of PMR increased feelings of relaxation, while a 2024 review suggested PMR could be effective in reducing stress, anxiety and depression in adults.

More recently, a 2026 review noted PMR can also improve sleep quality and reduce sleep disturbance.

I often recommend it to clients who struggle with other meditation and mindfulness practices, or who are busy and always on the go.

PMR offers a way to focus, anchor and train your attention—and you can do it whether you’re sitting at a desk, standing in line at the coffee shop or lying in bed after a long day.

Ultimately, however—like all mind-body practices—you have to try it to discover if it works for you.

How to practice PMR

You can learn to practice PMR alone or use a guided practice. I often recommend this YouTube video to my clients.

It’s important to feel the tension build in the muscles you’re tensing but without strain. Always find a pace and intensity that’s comfortable for you.

This practice usually starts in your feet, by curling and tensing your toes for five seconds as you inhale, before releasing gently as you exhale. Then work up your body.

If it helps to focus your attention, you could say the word “relax” out loud or in your head, as you exhale.

When your mind wanders (which is normal), pause for a few breaths, then gently guide your attention back to your body and the next muscle group to work on.

In my experience, even just a few minutes of PMR at the end of a busy day can help your body relax and mind unwind.

If you suffer from regular backache but can’t seem to find any relief from back stretches, the root of the problem could lie elsewhere.

According to yoga instructor Imogen Smith, tight hamstrings could be the culprit.

“When your hamstrings are tight, they can pull the pelvis down and under, and create a posterior tilt to the pelvis,” says Smith. This change in pelvis position puts extra stress on the spine.

Lower-back pain is a common complaint from Smith’s new clients at MoreYoga. Once she delves into a client’s “lifestyle and movement patterns” outside of the yoga studio, she builds a picture of the cause of the back pain.

“Prolonged sitting is a big one, as hamstrings stay in a shortened position for hours,” says Smith. She finds runners and gym-goers are especially prone, too, due to “repetitive training without lengthening the hamstrings.”

And she has one simple test to check if it is indeed the hamstrings that are the problem. “If people find that their lower-back pain fades or lessens through a forward fold with bent knees, then tight hamstring problems are likely related to the problem.”

Smith suggests three moves that can help release tension in your hamstrings. You can use them as standalone poses or as a sequence.

Yoga poses for tight hamstrings

The three moves that Smith recommends are:

1. Ragdoll/standing forward fold (uttanasana)
2. Seated head-to-knee pose (janu sirsasana)
3. Reclined hand-to-big-toe pose (supta padanghusthasana)

“I actually do ragdoll pose every single day, multiple times a day, as I find it provides instant relief to my back whenever I feel like I need it,” says Smith. “If I had one yoga pose I would recommend doing every day it would be ragdoll.

“However, a combination of these three moves will mean you are getting a good stretch through the hamstrings as well as the lower back—and release tension you might be holding in these areas.

“I think this is a nice sequence to do as a lunch break reset or a wind-down routine in the evening. I recommend doing it at least two or three times a week.”

1. Ragdoll/standing forward fold (uttanasana)

Time: 30-60sec

• Stand upright with your feet close together.
• Inhale as you lengthen through your spine.
• Exhale as you hinge at your hips to fold forward, drawing your chest toward your thighs. Bend your knees as much as you need.
• Let your head hang.
• For ragdoll: clasp your hands around opposite elbows and rock or sway your torso from side to side.

“Ragdoll allows you to passively lengthen your hamstrings,” says Smith. “As it is a forward fold with knees bent, and you allow your torso to hang, you’re not actively pulling on your hamstrings—gravity does the work for you. As your spine drapes and relaxes there is a decompression through the spine too.”

2. Seated head-to-knee pose (janu sirsasana)

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you or on a folded blanket to raise your hips for extra comfort.
• Bend your right knee and rest your right foot on the inside of your left thigh.
• Place both hands around your left leg, with a soft bend in your left knee and flex your left foot.
• Inhale as you lengthen through your spine and lift your chest.
• Exhale as you fold forward over your left leg, leading with your chest.
• Relax your head and neck and stay here for around five breaths.
• Gently roll your spine back up to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Teacher tip: Use your inhalation to find more length in your spine, and each exhalation to fold a little deeper.

“Head-to-knee pose allows you to target one leg at a time and focus deeply on a single leg’s hamstrings, meaning you can level out imbalances a little better, and adjust intensity more precisely,” explains Smith. “When using your breath to lengthen your spine rather than rounding your back, you also decompress your lower back and spine area.”

3. Reclined hand-to-big-toe pose (supta padanghusthasana)

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Bring your right knee into your chest, then extend your right leg up, flexing your foot, to stretch your right hamstring.
• Clasp your hands anywhere along the back of your right leg.
• Keep both shoulders flat on the floor.
• Gently flex your right foot toward you each time you exhale.
• Stay for about six breaths, then repeat on the other side.

Teacher tip: Extend through your left leg to deepen the stretch.

“This pose isolates your hamstrings without straining your lower back,” explains Smith. “As you are lying on your back, this can also help with nervous system regulation.”

It all started when I finally nailed my nighttime routine—an earlier bedtime that left me with something I hadn’t had in years: more time in the morning.

For the first few days, I filled that time with how many, I’m sure, end up doing: scrolling social media in bed. Then a qigong practice appeared on my TikTok feed and changed the rhythm of my day.

Here’s how qigong won me over when I practiced it every day for a week, and what the experts say about how it works.

What is qigong?

Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that combines slow and gentle movement with breathwork and intention to cultivate energy flow (also known as qi) in the body.

“Qi is the vital energy that flows through every living thing and if our qi becomes stagnant, you may experience disharmony that leaves you feeling unlike yourself,” explains Eloise Lambert, qigong instructor and founder of FAWE.

“The three main tools for working with your energy in qigong are your mind, body and breath, which is where meditation, movement and breathwork come in,” Lambert tells Fit&Well.

“Regular qigong practice helps with reducing stress, improving circulation and lowering blood pressure," explains Emma Tian Williamson, qigong teacher and founder of Flow & Create.

The slow mindful movement combined with breathwork helps regulate the nervous system, shifting you out of any fight-or-flight stress response you might be in, and into your parasympathetic nervous system’s rest and digest mode.

Research also suggests qigong practices can help manage stress, support mood and may improve sleep.

“Ultimately, the practice is about helping you feel more healthy, balanced and vibrant,” Lambert says. “It’s gentle and accessible to every age and fitness level.”

My qigong experience so far

While I’d heard of qigong before, I’d never practiced it. So, when I came across this full-body awakening flow on TikTok I decided to give it a go.

I’m used to rushing straight into my morning, coffee in hand, as I get ready. But this routine gave me time to slow down, and connect with my body and breath.

It got my heart rate up too and I could feel tension from the night before releasing as I moved.

Slow-paced and intentional, the practice created a gentle transition between waking and moving into the rest of my day.

I found that nurturing my mind-body connection first thing in the morning led me to make more mindful choices throughout the rest of the day.

I felt energized for once, rather than relying on my morning coffee to get me going.

By the end of the week I was looking forward to rolling out of bed and onto my mat for qigong. As a self-confessed night owl, who only recently stopped hitting snooze, this felt like a major win.

Qigong now has a permanent spot in my morning routine—but you can practice it at any time.

“I like practicing qigong in the morning to set me up for the day, but the best time to practice is the time you'll actually show up for it,” says Williamson. “Consistency is key to seeing the benefits.”

You can also tailor the practice to how you're feeling that day. “You can lean into the yang (active) or yin (restorative) qualities more depending on what you need,” says Lambert.

One important thing to keep in mind that may determine when you practice is what you’ve got planned afterward.

“It's not recommended to do any high-intensity fitness classes or undergo hot/cold exposure therapy immediately afterward,” says Lambert.

Beyond that, the main thing is simply to begin and stick to it. "It's an endless discovery practice," Lambert says. “It encourages curiosity about yourself and helps you to develop the tools to feel more balanced.”

Changing your mindset can be a powerful thing and not just for you.

I was recently staring at a pile of broken glass in the street, thinking somebody should clear that up before it hurts a person or animal, when I realized that I am that somebody.

Instead of deciding it wasn’t my problem, or getting upset and feeling helpless, I got a broom and swept it up. It was a small action, but I still felt empowered for the rest of the day and beyond—I took a bag out with me while walking my dog the next day to pick up some litter.

Again, my sense of satisfaction soared. Plus, my community was left a little cleaner and the local pigeons had fewer pieces of loose plastic to mistake for food.

I was curious about the warm fuzzy feeling I experienced and decided to find out more. In a 2023 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology, participants reported improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety after participating in three small acts of kindness per day.

So, how does that work?

Sarah Hodges, a licensed marriage and family therapist and therapy network manager at Headspace, explains that there is a tangible improvement in mental health when we are kind.

“Acts of kindness are one of those small things that have a really meaningful ripple effect. Clinically, we know they can boost mood, reduce stress, and increase feelings of connection,” says Hodges.

“Often, people feel stuck in their own heads, feel overwhelmed, overthink, or are disconnected.”

She explains that kindness can gently interrupt spiraling negative thoughts and shift your focus outward.

“It reminds you, ‘I can still show up. I can still make an impact.’ That alone can be really grounding,” she says.

The mention of grounding carried echoes of mindfulness, so I asked Hodges if the two things are linked.

“Kindness starts with slowing down and noticing, and that is the foundation of mindfulness,” she says.

“When you’re moving quickly or feeling overwhelmed, you miss those small moments where connection is possible.

“Mindfulness slows things down just enough to actually see what’s around you, who might need support, or even just where you might have the capacity to show up.

“Kindness becomes mindfulness in action; it’s not just awareness, it’s awareness followed by intention,” explains Hodges.

I realized that one of the main ways acts of kindness help me is by allowing me to feel a little more in control of my environment.

Litter collection—while not of global significance—helps me feel like I’m making a difference to my community, which is empowering.

“Kindness is grounding because it sits within your control,” says Hodges. “It gives you a sense of agency when everything else feels uncertain.”

Hodges adds that when life feels chaotic, acts of kindness can offer something steady to come back to.

“You may not be able to change everything that is happening around you, but you can choose how you show up. That choice reminds you that you still have influence,” she says.

Acts of kindness to try

Hodges explained that often kindness isn’t about going out of your way to be extraordinary, but rather how you show up in the moments that are already happening.

Here’s how she recommends simple ways to add an act of kindness into each day.

• If you have a kind thought about someone, tell them. We underestimate how much people are moving through the world feeling invisible. It feels good to be noticed and it is within your power to make someone feel good.
• Let someone else go first—in a line for coffee, merging in traffic, speaking in a meeting—without rushing them.
• When someone is talking to you (like a partner or a child), stop what you’re doing and actually listen without multitasking, even if it’s not a big moment.
• Say thank you for something small that usually goes unnoticed, like making coffee or taking the dog out.
• Take a moment to respond to someone with a little more warmth than you might feel in the moment, especially when you’re feeling tired and it would be easy to be short.
• Let someone finish their story, even when you’ve heard it before. Resist the urge to rush them through or interrupt.

From my perspective as a yoga teacher, there’s nothing that makes me sadder than seeing a student rush out of class before the final resting pose.

Savasana (pronounced shah-VA-sunnah) isn’t just a nice-to-have at the end of a session—it’s a posture that can be transformative for your nervous system.

It’s typically performed as a final resting pose at the end of a practice and is deceptively easy.

The pose is simple: lie on your back, legs and arms extended, arms just away from your sides, palms turned up to fully relax your shoulders and chest. Gently close your eyes and mouth and start to feel the weight and shape of your body connected to the floor and become aware of your breath for a few minutes. Placing your hands on your abdomen or chest can help you connect to your breath more easily.

Even though I tell my students it’s the most integral part of the practice, some still choose to leave early and miss out on its benefits.

Although it may look like it, savasana isn’t a nap or a chance to mentally catch up on your to-do list. In yoga, it’s called an active resting pose, meaning you physically let go while remaining awake and aware of your experience.

Your mind will naturally wander—you might find yourself wondering what you’re having for dinner—but with practice, you learn to observe those thoughts without getting caught up in them.

Practicing savasana regularly trains your nervous system to shift into a parasympathetic (rest and recover) state more easily, which can be useful when managing everyday stress out of class.

When you skip savasana and dash out quickly, eager to move on to the next thing, your energy will be activated and hurried. The point of savasana is to settle, feel grounded by connecting to your body and breath, and integrate all the benefits. Particularly if it’s been a physically challenging practice and your body needs time to recover.

If you’ve been lunging, balancing, twisting and bending, savasana is a chance for fatigued muscles to relax, and your nervous system to shift into a parasympathetic rest and digest state.

It’s a gift you give yourself after all the effort you’ve put in, so please don’t rob yourself of it.

Tips for a restful savasana

Support your lower back: If lying flat on your back feels uncomfortable, place a bolster (or a cushion) behind the back of your knees. This helps release lower-back pressure, making it easier to relax.

Stay warm: Your body temperature drops when you’re lying still, which might distract you from fully settling. Have a pair of socks, a jumper or a blanket to hand.

Block out distractions: It’s usually encouraged to have your eyes closed in savasana, but if you think you might be tempted to open them and end up staring up at the ceiling, use an eye pillow. It will block out the light and apply some gentle pressure, which may help you drop deeper into the pose.

Try a body scan: Once you’re comfortable, it can be helpful to do a full body scan. Bring your awareness to the tips of your toes and slowly work your way up your body to the top of your head. As you go, visualize each body part and use your exhalation to soften and let go into the floor.

Exit slowly: When it’s time to come back around after savasana, go slowly. Start by deepening your breath and wiggling your fingers and toes. Then hug your knees into your chest and roll onto your right side into a fetal position. Stay here for a few breaths, then gently sit up and leave when you’re ready.

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Before we go any further, I’d like you to do a quick body scan.

Are your shoulders tight? Is your jaw clenched? Are you holding your breath? How does your head feel?

If you’re anything like me—currently hunched over a laptop—you’re probably holding tension in your head and neck.

I have to remind myself to relax my muscles regularly, otherwise I find myself feeling stiff, sore and even ill at the end of a working day. This usually manifests in sore shoulders and a tension headache.

Kira Mae Kazuko, a breathwork instructor for ALO Wellness Club, says that this is not unusual because headaches can be caused by more than just physical conditions.

“Many [headaches] are connected to stress, jaw tension, shallow breathing, screen fatigue or nervous system overload,” she explains.

“When we live in a constant low-grade state of fight-or-flight (even subtly) the muscles around the neck, scalp and shoulders begin to tighten.

“Most people aren’t aware that they’re holding their breath throughout the day, clenching their jaw, or breathing high into the chest. The nervous system becomes activated and that tension accumulates—frequently showing up as a tension-type headache.”

Kazuko explains that one of our most powerful tools for relaxation is our breath.

“Breath is one of the fastest ways to signal safety to the body, “she says. “When the body feels safe, it softens. And that softening alone can reduce the intensity of certain headaches.”

Kazuko shared a gentle breathwork sequence with Fit&Well. It should take around eight minutes and can be done seated or lying down. If you still feel tense after one round, run through the sequence again.

Of course, if you experience headaches regularly, or with an intensity that you find worrying, it is always advisable to speak to a medical professional to rule out any more serious causes.

Here’s how to do the sequence.

1. Extended exhale

Time: 4min

• Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
• Exhale slowly through your nose or mouth for a count of six or eight.
• Continue for four minutes, or as long as you feel comfortable.

“Longer exhales stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps reduce sympathetic (fight-or-flight) activation, and shifts the body toward a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state,” says Kazuko.

“As this shift happens, muscles in the jaw, neck, and shoulders begin to release. Keep the breath smooth and steady rather than forced. The goal isn’t intensity, it’s regulation.”

2. 360° rib breath

Time: 2min

• Place your hands around your lower ribs.
• Inhale and feel the breath expand into the sides and back of your body, not just the chest.
• Exhale fully and soften the shoulders.
• Continue for two minutes, or as long as you feel comfortable.

“Many people with headaches overuse the small accessory muscles in the neck to breathe,” says Kazuko. “This creates additional tension through the upper body. Expanding the rib cage more fully helps redistribute the work of breathing to the diaphragm and surrounding muscles, which can reduce strain in the neck and scalp.”

3. Gentle humming breath

Time: 1-2min

• Inhale normally.
• On your exhale, softly hum.
• Continue for one to two minutes, or as long as you feel comfortable.

“The vibration from humming increases nitric oxide production in the nasal passages, which can support sinus function and help relieve pressure-type headaches,” says Kazuko. “The sound also stimulates the vagus nerve and enhances relaxation through subtle vibration in the throat and face.”

If you experience regular or prolonged headaches, speak to your doctor, even if you believe they are caused by tension in the head and neck.

I work at a desk, so it’s not unusual to get to lunchtime, or even the end of the day, and realize I’ve spent hours on end sitting. It doesn’t make me feel my best, physically or mentally, and I know I’m not alone.

I’d love to make time for a daily workout or long walk, but it's not always possible. That’s why I’m keen to find small pockets of time to fit in movement where I can.

My favorite yoga instructor, Adriene Mishler—better known online to her 13.5 million followers as Yoga With Adriene—recently shared a routine that fit my needs perfectly.

It’s for people who spend hours sitting and it takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Plus, the whole routine is done standing, so you don't even need to roll out a yoga mat.

Watch Yoga With Adriene's yoga for people who sit all day routine

No equipment is needed for this routine—just enough space to stand comfortably and move your arms overhead and to the sides.

Mishler guides you through the practice so you don’t even have to look at your screen too much.

My experience trying Yoga With Adriene’s yoga for people who sit all day routine

This routine is simple and accessible and I came away feeling more relaxed with less tightness in my shoulders and hips.

The hip circles at the start provided immediate relief. Actively mobilizing my hips felt great, given that sitting for long periods reduces their range of motion.

The forward fold that followed felt like the most satisfying full-body stretch, releasing tension from my legs all the way to my upper back.

The routine also includes neck and shoulder stretches and a few short balancing poses synchronized with the breath, which has a calming effect on the nervous system.

Overall, it felt good to take a mini break and move my body gently without having to make time—or get changed—for a full workout or longer yoga flow.

It’s also a routine that’s simple enough to revisit anytime and I'd recommend it if you want to minimize the effects of too many hours at your desk.

Yoga instructor Imogen Smith has noticed a common issue that many of her clients complain about: tight hips.

And she’s not surprised by how widespread the issue is, because the causes of tension around the hips are plentiful, though for most people it’s the hours they spend at their desks.

“Long periods of sitting keep your hips in flexion (a shortened position), especially the hip flexors,” says Smith. “Weak or underactive glutes [your buttock muscles] mean that your hips or even hamstrings can tighten to compensate.

“We also hold a lot of tension in our hips if we are stressed or keeping in repressed emotions.

“Your psoas muscle in particular is linked to your nervous system, so when you are stressed for long periods, this muscle can stay subtly contracted.”

And although it’s a common problem among Smith’s clients at MoreYoga—which has over 40 studios across London—she has advice that could rectify the issue.

Smith has noticed that many clients concentrate on a lunge stretch to open up the hips, but she explains that this alone is not enough.

“Lunges are a great pose and one that I do pretty much every single day,” she says. “With the right engagement, they assist in both strengthening and lengthening the front of the hip and are really beneficial, particularly after physical activity involving the legs.

“Their pitfall, however, is that they really only target one area of your hips, which is the front of the hip—the hip flexors.

“I think a small sequence of three or four poses allows you to get a little deeper into the muscles, target different areas, and release any physical or emotional tension you are holding.”

With this in mind, Smith has created a four-move sequence that “targets all areas of the hips, not just one.”

Yoga sequence for tight hips

The four moves that Smith recommends are:

1. Seated butterfly
2. Reclined figure-four
3. Reclined butterfly
4. Yogi squat

Smith suggests doing these moves at least two or three times a week if possible.

“I would suggest this sequence as a good wind-down routine in the evening,” she says. “It will be a nice one to do before bed as it is all seated or supine, and will mean you relieve any tension you may have been carrying throughout the day.”

But if you’re short of time or find yourself in a tight spot during the day, Smith advises doing individual poses as you see fit.

“Yogi squat is a good one that you could do on its own throughout the day if you notice a tightness in your hips,” she suggests.

“I do this pose a lot in my home and it’s a key one I do before I begin my yoga practice or a lower-body workout. It’s also a must for me before going on a run.

“Reclined butterfly is also a lovely one to do on its own in bed, to release the hips and take a couple of moments or breaths to settle.”

1. Seated butterfly pose

Time: 30-60sec

• Sit on the floor or on a folded blanket or cushion to lift your hips.
• Bring the soles of your feet together and open your knees out to the sides.
• Interlace your fingers around your feet.
• Inhale, extend through your spine.
• Exhale, fold your head toward your feet.
• Hold for around six breaths.
• Gently roll back up and lift your head to return to an upright position.

2. Reclined figure four

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Place your right ankle over your left thigh.
• Gently press down on your right thigh with your right hand, or interlace your fingers behind the back of your left thigh, pulling your left knee toward your chest. You can also rock from side to side if that’s comfortable.
• Stay here for around six breaths, then repeat on the other side.

3. Reclined butterfly

Time: 30-60sec

• Lie on your back, bring the soles of your feet together and lower your knees out to the sides, keeping your feet on the floor.
• Place yoga blocks or a rolled-up blanket under your thighs for extra support if needed.
• Stay here for around eight breaths.
• Place your left hand on your chest and your right hand on your belly, to feel the movement of your breath.

4. Yogi squat

Time: 30-60sec

• Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart.
• Turn your heels in and toes out.
• Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower your hips to your ankles. You can rise onto your toes if your heels won’t stay on the floor.
• Press your upper arms into your inner thighs and bring your hands into a prayer position in front of your chest.
• Gently sway from side to side.
• Stay here for around six breaths.

As you age, it's natural to lose some mobility, and the hips are where many people will experience stiffness. This is made worse by modern life’s habits spent sitting, further reducing their range of motion.

Fortunately, this isn’t irreversible. And, according to Yoga-Go instructor Melissa Leach, there's one pose that's particularly effective at mobilizing your hips.

"Mandukasana, or frog pose, is a hip-opening posture designed to stretch the groin, inner thighs, pelvis and hip joints to improve hip mobility and relieve lower-back tension," she tells Fit&Well.

“As you enter your 40s, muscles naturally begin to lose mass and strength," Leach explains. "Flexibility can also begin to decrease as joints become stiff."

“Frog pose promotes hip mobility and flexibility as it is an intense hip opener," she says. “It can relieve tightness caused by everyday activities such as driving, sitting or cycling."

It's not the most common yoga pose and the traditional version requires a base level of hip mobility. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a go.

Below, Leach has shared some modifications for people of all ages and flexibility levels, so you can experience the benefits.

How to do frog pose

Hold: 30-60sec

• Start on your hands and knees then slide your knees wider apart.
• Rest your lower legs flat on the floor.
• Adjust your shins so they’re parallel and your ankles in line with your knees, not flaring in or out.
• Lower your torso onto your forearms, keeping your chest open.
• Keep your core lightly engaged by squeezing your abdominals and tucking your pelvis.
• Gently push your hips back toward your heels, feeling a stretch in your inner thighs.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds while breathing deeply.
• To release the pose, walk your hands forward slightly and slowly bring your knees together again.

Good form is essential to getting the most out of this posture and avoiding injury. According to Leach, that means you shouldn’t push yourself and instead, respect your body’s natural limits.

“Rather than pushing your knees as wide as possible, only go as wide as what feels comfortable while maintaining proper tension and alignment,” Leach advises.

“Make sure your ankles stay in line with your knees with 90° angles at the joints,” she adds.

It can also be helpful to think about the direction of your hips, in order to practice good form. “As you move into the stretch, focus on pushing your hips backwards rather than dropping straight down, which can be a common mistake,” Leach says.

How to modify frog pose

Use a block to support your hips

If you have tight adductors (inner thighs) or limited flexibility in your hips, Leach recommends placing a yoga block or a cushion underneath your hips in the pose.

“This helps to reduce the pressure on your hips, alleviating any potential discomfort,” she explains.

Prop up your chest with a bolster

You can also place a cushion under your chest, which will further support stiff hips by reducing the intensity of the stretch, according to Leach.

Try a half frog pose

If this pose feels too challenging, Leach suggests trying a half frog pose, which involves keeping just one leg flat to the floor to your side, while stretching the other leg out behind you.

We’ve all been there—awake in the middle of the night, staring at the ceiling while the clock ticks closer to the morning alarm.

There are lots of reasons why you might find yourself tossing and turning at night—from a change in room temperature or outside noise, to your partner stealing the duvet or stress.

The odd wake-up is usually nothing to worry about, but if you’re spending most nights lying awake unable to nod off, Dr Alanna Hare, the sleep expert at Sealy UK, might have some answers.

“Around 2am-4am, cortisol levels naturally rise to prepare you for waking in the morning,” explains Hare. “If you’re stressed or overstimulated before bed, that small and slow hormonal rise can tip you into full alertness.”

To fix this, Hare suggests setting yourself up for success by making your bedroom a dedicated sleep zone to help you wind down better at night.

“Blackout curtains, masking white noise, temperature-regulating bedding and low lighting can encourage better sleep and reduce the chances of waking up in the middle of the night,” she tells Fit&Well.

Removing television and devices from your bedroom can also help you wind down more peacefully and stop you from reaching for your phone during windows of wakefulness.

It can be tempting, but if you turn to social media when you can’t sleep, Hare says it’s likely to increase alertness and reduce your chances of falling back asleep easily.

Instead of scrolling during the night, Hare suggests getting out of bed to reset instead.

“Even just a brief reset by getting out of bed can reduce stress and encourage relaxation before trying to fall asleep again,” she says.

Try some light stretching or gentle yoga to help you relax, and return to bed only once you naturally feel sleepy again.

It’s important to acknowledge that sometimes good sleep practice is only part of the puzzle and extra support might be needed.

If you’ve tried to improve your sleep habits and environment but are still waking up multiple times at night, it could be time to speak with a sleep professional.

“Conditions like sleep apnoea, reflux and untreated pain are common drivers of fragmented sleep too.

“They are treatable once properly assessed, so speak with your doctor to get support,” Hare advises.

Sometimes the demands and stresses of modern life can feel overwhelming and difficult to step away from. Whether it’s notifications requiring immediate attention or anxiety about bills and the cost of living, there’s something most people feel stressed about every day.

The important thing is having ways to manage that stress so you’re not carrying it with you—because living with chronic stress can increase the risk of health conditions and reduce overall wellbeing.

Yoga teacher and founder of Recoupia, Maylen Arroyo, says that yoga is effective for managing stress.

She tells Fit&Well that yoga can relax the mind and release physical tension, giving you an opportunity to reset from a stressful event or regulate yourself after a busy day.

“Yoga releases tension stored in the body through relaxed movement, mindful breathing and stillness,” she says.

“Intentional, slow breathing triggers the parasympathetic nervous system—the part of the brain [and body] that tells it to relax and recuperate.”

She adds that, by connecting to the body and breath, yoga fosters an awareness of the moment that helps interrupt the cycle of racing thoughts, which can help you calm down when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

“Just five minutes of yoga a day can allow you to get in touch with how your body and emotions are feeling, and build from there,” she adds.

Next time you are feeling stressed, take 10 minutes away from your phone and try these three gentle yoga poses.

Let us know in the comments below how they make you feel.

1. Child’s pose (balasana)

Hold: 5 breaths

“The simplest and most comforting method to calm the body and mind is through child’s pose,” says Arroyo. “It gently stretches the back, hips and shoulders, and calms the nervous system.”

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees. Bring your big toes together and then widen your knees.
• Sit your hips back toward your heels and gently move your hands forward.
• Rest your forehead on the floor or on a block or pillow.
• Allow your chest to soften toward the floor, stretching a little further as you breathe deeply.
• Remain in the pose for at least five slow, deep breaths through your nose, or longer.

2. Legs up the wall (viparita karani)

Hold: 2min

“This is a remarkably soothing, reparative pose, particularly after a long day,” says Arroyo. “Moving the legs upward helps with circulation and tells the body right away to slow down.”

How to do it:

• Sit with one side of your body against a wall and your legs outstretched.
• Gently swing your legs up the wall and push your hips close to the wall as possible.
• Let your arms rest by your sides, palms facing up or down, or place a hand on your belly and chest.
• Hold the pose for a few minutes or as long as you like, breathing slowly and intentionally.
• To come out of the pose, gently reverse the movement and return to a seated position.

Trainer tip: “Focus on breathing diaphragmatically through your abdomen to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system—the part of the nervous system that facilitates rest and relaxation,” says Arroyo.

3. Standing forward fold (uttanasana)

Hold: 5 breaths

“Forward folds are grounding and release tightness in your back and neck,” says Arroyo.

How to do it:

• Stand upright with your hands by your sides.
• Inhale as you sweep your arms overhead.
• Exhale as you hinge forward from your hips and fold your upper body over your legs, stretching your hands down toward your feet.
• Keep your knees slightly bent to support your back.
• Hold the pose for five slow breaths.
• Reverse the movement to slowly come back to standing upright.

Trainer tip: “Soften deeper into the pose with each breath, releasing tension without adding pressure to your position,” says Arroyo.

I’ve been meditating for over 10 years, and teaching it to others for almost half that time. Often, when I work with someone at the start of their meditation journey, I see the same misconceptions I had right at the beginning of my practice. It’s made me reflect and realise there are some things I’d do very differently if I were starting over again.

When I first tried to meditate, I quickly fell into the “I can’t do it” trap after struggling to sit in silence and stillness for even just a few minutes. What I’ve learned since is there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Often, when it doesn’t feel like it’s working, it’s because of the expectations we’ve set around it.

If meditation is something you’ve tried but couldn’t get on with, or you’re simply curious to try it—whether you need help switching off or want to feel more connected to yourself—here are a few tips to get started.

I’d build it into my daily life

With so many perfect morning routines on social media, when I first considered meditating each morning, I thought I needed an aesthetically pleasing and quiet corner at home to do it. Truth is, that’s hard to come by when you live in a small shared apartment in London!

But what I realised is you don’t need to light a candle, burn incense or sit on a yoga mat to meditate. I actually wouldn’t recommend starting there at all.

Meditation is a practice of training your awareness and attention by focusing on a single point. This could be your breath, a sensation in your body, your senses, an image in your mind or an external object.

With this in mind, you can build a meditation practice into your everyday life. This could look like tuning into your senses on your morning walk—noticing what you can hear, see, feel, taste and smell around you. Or, maybe you can take an intentional pause with five gentle, deep breaths as you wait for the kettle to boil.

These small moments add up—no fancy routine or equipment required.

I’d try different techniques

When I first started meditating, I made the mistake of thinking there was only one way to do it—sitting in silence and focusing on my breath for 20 minutes. While that is valid, it’s not the only way to do it.

I recommend experimenting more and enjoy discovering new techniques. A body scan meditation, where you tune into different parts of the body, is a great way to wind down at night. Box breathing practices that involve counting the breath can be a great way to focus on something tangible and can help you find calm in stressful moments.

If something isn’t working for you, that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re bad at it. Different practices suit different days and needs, so keep experimenting and you’ll discover what works for you and when it works for you.

I’d start small with short practices

If you’re already time-poor, the idea of starting a long daily meditation practice can feel overwhelming. It’s no surprise I struggled with 20 minutes of silent practice—often I’d run out of time in the morning, give up and feel like a failure.

The truth is, you only need a few minutes to feel the benefits, especially when you’re starting out.

Most meditation practices use an anchor to help focus your attention—such as your breath, a body sensation or a visualization. If you’re not familiar with focusing this way, it can feel challenging.

Start with one or two minutes focusing on your anchor, returning your attention to it any time your mind drifts off. As you become more comfortable, you can build from there.

I would expect my mind to wander

One of the biggest misconceptions about meditation is that the goal is to empty the mind. Emptying the mind of thoughts is an impossible task and distraction is a normal part of the process.

In the early days, I thought I had failed every time my mind wandered. But eventually, I learnt to notice when my mind had lost its focus and gently encouraged it back to my anchor. That is the practice.

Mindfulness is all about awareness. Experiencing distractions and learning how to manage them is all part of the journey.

I would get clear on why I’m meditating

Often people turn to meditation to help them relax, sleep better or stress less. I certainly did, and would get frustrated when my practice didn’t make me feel happier or calmer.

But, meditation isn’t a quick fix. It’s a practice that needs to be done consistently to see results—just like going to the gym.

If I was starting again, I’d lower my expectations. Meditation won’t always make you feel calm or happy, but it will help you to expand your awareness, train your attention and—in the long term—support you in being more mindful in day-to-day life.

Some movements are so universally beneficial that they cross different disciplines and forms of exercise—the bridge is one of those movements.

You’ll see this foundational move showing up in a range of settings, from Pilates and yoga studios to gym workouts and physiotherapy appointments.

That’s because it delivers on several fronts: it strengthens the muscles in the back of your body (your posterior chain); it opens up and lengthens the hip flexors, counteracting the effects of sitting; and engages your lower-core muscles which support your spine.

I’ve always practised bridge and its many variations as part of my yoga and fitness training. Through my work as a personal trainer and yoga therapist, I’ve learnt to adapt this essential move depending on what the person I’m working with needs.

For instance, bridge can be broken down into mini hip tilts and lifts to develop a mindful connection to your pelvis and hip area.

Alternatively, you can advance the strength-building effects of this move by incorporating a single-leg march or adding resistance with a weight held on the hips.

Recently, in my weekly online yoga class, my yoga teacher introduced bridge pose with arms flow—a more dynamic variation that I hadn’t done for years.

This addition takes the well-known pose and adds an upper-body and chest stretch while still challenging your stabilizing muscles and hips.

Synchronizing the movement with long, deep breaths makes the move surprisingly calming too—so you get strength and relaxation in one pose. Here’s how to do it.

Bridge pose with arms flow

Reps: 3-5

• Lie on your back, with your knees bent, and feet flat on the floor and close to your buttocks.
• Start with arms by your sides, palms down.
• Inhale, slowly lift your hips high, engaging your lower core.
• Simultaneously raise your arms overhead to the floor behind you.
• Exhale, slowly lower your arms and hips back to the starting position.

Ensure your movement is totally synchronised with your breath—that could mean slowing down your arms as they have further to travel. Return your back and hips to the floor mindfully, one vertebrae at a time.

Do you ever feel like the hardest part of doing something new is taking the first step?

I certainly felt that way the first time I stepped into a yoga class. But, I was amazed to see people of all abilities, shapes and sizes enjoying themselves.

“Starting yoga can feel intimidating, especially if you think you need to be flexible, calm, or experienced before you begin,” says yoga teacher Anabella Landa. “The truth is that yoga meets you exactly where you are.”

If you’re not ready to step into a class, there are many at-home options you can try, including Landa’s 7-Day Beginner Yoga series on the ALO Wellness Club app. It features short, accessible flows that focus on foundational elements—ideal if you’re new.

Landa says it’s important to learn basic postures—such as hip openers, twists, balances and transitions—so you can build your confidence.

Here, Landa shares her five top tips for anyone who wants to start yoga but is nervous about starting, or indeed getting into their first child’s pose.

1. Let go of the idea that you need to be good at yoga

Landa explains that natural flexibility is not a prerequisite for starting yoga. It’s something even yoga teachers lack and is developed through consistent practice.

Similarly, she explains that a calm and peaceful attitude isn’t something you need to bring onto the mat. “It’s something you cultivate,” she says. “Spirituality isn’t a look. It’s not incense or aesthetic poses or knowing Sanskrit.

“Yoga is about building awareness and strength in your current body, not forcing it to look a certain way. If you’ve been waiting to feel ready, this is your reminder: you don’t need to be more of anything. You just need to begin.”

2. Start slower than you think you need to

“Many beginners jump into fast-paced flows and feel discouraged,” says Landa.

“Starting with foundational, slower-paced classes helps you understand body alignment and breath. That base makes everything else feel more accessible later.”

3. Feel the difference between discomfort and pain

“It’s normal to feel muscles working in new ways,” says Landa.

However, she encourages beginners to learn how to distinguish between sensation and strain. “Sharp, pinching pain or joint pain is not normal.”

Landa explains that this discernment is also a skill built over time and that you must first learn to tune into your body and listen—another fundamental element of yoga practice.

4. Focus on your breath, not the room

I’m sure we could all do with getting out of our heads a little, and Landa tells Fit&Well that experiencing your own practice in your own body—not worrying about anyone else—is the best way to experience yoga. This also takes time and practice.

“Comparison is common in studio settings or even online classes,” says Landa.

“If you shift your focus to your breathing, you’ll stay grounded in your own experience.”

“The breath is what makes yoga yoga, not how advanced the pose looks.”

5. Be consistent, not extreme

It’s easy to go all-in on your new hobby and nothing else, but this isn’t conducive to a healthy yoga practice. No matter how much you enjoy it, it doesn’t need to take over your entire life.

“You don’t need hour-long sessions every day,” says Landa. “Even 10 to 20 minutes a few times a week can build strength, balance and confidence.”

“Shorter sessions remove the pressure of carving out a full hour, and help you maintain momentum while still seeing real results,” she adds.

“Small, steady effort creates sustainable progress. On the ALO Wellness Club app, my Glow & Go series features classes that are 30 minutes or less, making it easier to stay consistent even on busy days.”

Eight hours is often considered the gold standard for sleep. But if you’ve found yourself waking up feeling groggy even after hitting this target, a sleep doctor might have the answer.

According to Dr Alanna Hare, sleep doctor and Sealy sleep expert, everyone will have different sleep needs, but the hours you spend snoozing are only one part of the puzzle.

“Sleep duration gives your body the opportunity to rest—but sleep quality determines what your brain does with that time and impacts how you feel when you wake up in the morning,” Hare tells Fit & Well.

Good quality sleep will see you move through different sleep stages and cycles during the night.

One sleep cycle lasts around 90 minutes, during which the brain will move through light, deep and REM sleep stages—all are important for memory formation, learning, emotional processing and physical repair.

Most adults will have four to six of these cycles each night. If these cycles are interrupted regularly, it could leave you waking up feeling more tired the next day.

“If your sleep cycles are repeatedly interrupted, your body can’t perform essential overnight processes to leave you feeling rejuvenated in the mornings,” Hare explains.

There are lots of reasons why your sleep cycles might get interrupted, but one that’s often overlooked is not maintaining a consistent routine of when you go to sleep and when you wake up.

It can be tempting to stay up late and watch another episode of your favorite Netflix series, or sleep in on the weekends, but, , according to Hare, waking up at the same time every day and going to bed at the same time every night could be the easiest way to improve your sleep quality.

“Your body clock thrives on regularity, and having a regular sleep and wake routine often improves how rested you feel more than chasing a perfect number of hours each night,” says Hare.

Creating a daily routine that supports sleep shouldn’t be overlooked either.

Limit caffeine after lunch because it can delay sleep onset, keep any naps short and early or you can weaken your natural drive to sleep, and focus on relaxing before bed.

Another small change is aiming for a temperature in your bedroom of 65-68°F, which Hare says meaningfully improves sleep quality.

“Overheating reduces slow wave sleep while being too cold at night increases wake-ups,” says Hare.

Yoga can be a great way to relax and unwind, especially after a stressful day. It can promote a sense of calm, making it easier to fall into a deep, restful sleep, according to yoga teacher Veronique Ory.

“Often worry, anxiety, or mental unrest linger in the body at the end of the day,” she explains. “Moving slowly with awareness allows that energy to soften and move through.

“At night, we’re not trying to stimulate the body, we’re inviting it to downshift.”

With this in mind, Ory has designed a short flow with gentle movement, breath and twisting to release physical tension while giving the nervous system space to settle.

“Gentle spinal movement and twisting help release tension from the day,” she explains, “while slow breathing encourages the nervous system to transition into rest.”

Before you begin, Ory recommends you take a moment to create a calming atmosphere by dimming the lights or lighting a candle. Dress in something comfortable and cozy, and silence any phone notifications.

“These small rituals signal to the body that the day is coming to a close and it’s safe to begin unwinding,” says Ory. “This short sequence helps the body process lingering worry or stress. Feel free to move through this flow as slowly as you wish.”

How to do the bedtime yoga flow

There are five poses in the flow:

1. Child’s pose
2. Cat-cow wave
3. Side stretch
4. Table-top with eagle legs
5. Gate pose stretch with thread the needle

There’s an extra, final seated, meditative pose to finish off the flow, which can also be done lying down. Some of the moves are repeated—such as a single cat-cow wave and child’s pose—which are added between each pose.

1. Child’s pose

• Kneel on a yoga mat.
• Lower your torso to the floor, resting your butt on your heels and your forehead on the mat.
• Extend your arms out in front of you, palms on the mat.
• Take a few slow breaths here, allowing your body to settle.

2. Cat-cow waves

• From child’s pose, lift your torso and hips into tabletop position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
• Inhale as you lift your gaze and squeeze your shoulder blades together to open your chest. This is cow pose.
• Exhale as you round your spine, drawing your navel inward and dropping your gaze towards your thighs or stomach. This is cat pose.
• Repeat several times, flowing smoothly from cat to cow.
• Return to child’s pose before the next move.

3. Side stretch

• Move into a high kneeling position, with your hips directly above your knees and your back straight.
• Slowly sweep both arms overhead.
• Lower your left arm to the floor as you reach your right arm up, leaning to the left to feel a stretch along your torso.
• Repeat on the other side.
• Return both arms overhead, then lower back into child’s pose briefly.
• Flow through cat-cow again.

4. Tabletop with eagle legs

• Return to tabletop pose and cross your left shin over your right calf.
• Sink your hips back toward your heels and lower your head toward the mat.
• Come back to tabletop position, then repeat on the other side.
• Then come back to tabletop position and flow through cat-cow again.
• Return to child’s pose.
• Add another side bend here, keeping both arms extended overhead, leaning over to each side.
• Finish with cat-cow and child’s pose.

5. Gate pose side stretch with thread the needle

• Move into a high kneeling position again with arms extended overhead.
• Extend your right leg out to the side.
• Reach your right hand down the right leg and reach your left arm up and over your head, lengthening through the left side of your body.
• Cartwheel your hands down in front of you into tabletop position, keeping your right leg extended out to the side.
• Cat-cow and push back into child’s pose.
• Return to tabletop and move into thread the needle pose, reaching your left arm under your chest, extending it towards the right side between your right elbow and knee, allowing your left shoulder and head to relax toward the floor.
• Open your chest again by reaching the right arm straight up, then behind you.
• Counter this twist by coming onto your knees, placing the right hand on the floor and extending your left arm.
• Come into cat-cow and then child’s pose.
• Come back to kneeling and repeat on the other side.
• Move through one last slow round of cat-cow before settling back into child’s pose for a few quiet breaths.

6. Close seated

• Slowly roll up to kneeling and settle down into a comfortable seated position.
• Roll your shoulders back and down, resting your hands gently on your legs.
• Let your breath become steady and easeful.
• From here, you might linger in quiet meditation—seated or lying down—allowing your body to fully settle before sleep.

If you work at a desk or spend a lot of time sitting down like me, you’ve probably come to accept that aches and niggles in your neck and shoulders are an unavoidable part of life.

I’ve tried everything to try and improve my posture and upper-back pain: massage, Pilates, an obnoxiously loud vibrating device that attaches to my shoulder.

But somehow, I still find myself hunched over day after day, and the niggles in my neck and upper back always return.

One thing that provides immediate relief is yoga, so I was excited to see that Adriene Mishler—better known online to the 13 million subscribers her YouTube channel as Yoga With Adriene—has shared a new routine specifically designed for neck hump and upper spine posture.

Neck hump refers to a curve in the neck and upper back that many of us are now prone to, thanks to spending so much time looking down at our computers and phones.

I decided to try Mishler’s routine as a way to break up the working day and potentially reduce some of the discomfort that sitting at my desk causes.

How to do Yoga With Adriene’s routine for neck hump

All you’ll need for this practice is a yoga mat and a bolster. Mishler recommends using a rolled-up blanket if you don't have a bolster, but I decided to use a cushion. I also grabbed a spare cushion to help support my knees in some of the poses.

The practice takes just under 30 minutes and it’s fairly slow-paced, so as long as you’re wearing something you feel comfortable in, you probably don’t need to change into your workout gear.

My experience trying Yoga With Adriene’s routine for neck hump

The practice started in one of my favourite poses. It’s a variation of savasana (corpse pose), but with a block or a bolster—or in my case, a pillow—between the shoulder blades, which opens up the chest muscles.

I noticed that my upper body instantly relaxed in this pose and I felt a satisfying stretch in my upper back.

I didn’t think this pose could get any better, but Mishler advised bringing the arms into a cactus shape—with both elbows planted at the side of your body and your arms facing up at 90° degrees—and slowly moving your arms up and down. My body provided instant feedback, with my shoulders making a satisfying crunch.

The rest of the practice was made up of a mix of dynamic and static stretches, including cat-cow, puppy pose and cobra. They all felt really great for my upper back and neck.

Mishler then introduced another exercise I’d never tried before, which involved holding the arms overhead as if we were holding a beach ball while kneeling and then slowly moving them down to the side. I doubted it would have much of an effect, but I felt that same satisfying crunch in my shoulders and noticed an active mobilization in the joints.

The combination of upper-body stretches with some active mobility work left my upper body feeling a lot more relaxed than when I started. I suspect it’s an effective combination that will help to remedy postural issues over time, while also providing that immediate relief we all crave.

I’ll certainly be coming back to this routine, particularly during the working day as a break from my desk.

Shop yoga accessories

It’s easy to think of yoga as just another workout, but this ancient practice was developed as a complete system for managing both body and mind. Although its roots go back thousands of years, it’s still something that can make a positive impact on our lives today.

If I’m having trouble sleeping or an anxious mind means I can’t settle, there’s one gentle pose I often use and recommend to my yoga therapy clients: flapping fish (matsya kridasana in Sanskrit).

This restorative bed pose is like a secret fix for calming my nervous system, especially when my mind won’t quiet down.

Physically, this pose lengthens and relaxes the front of your body while releasing tension from your lower back and hips. But the more profound effect happens through your breath—creating space in your chest allows for deeper breathing that signals to your nervous system that it’s safe to relax.

I discovered this pose about a decade ago when I was still attending in-person classes. My practice was rooted in classical yoga and my teacher would use flapping fish as a closing pose or to counter more dynamic movements and backbends.

The effect was transformative. After five or six rounds of slow breaths on each side, I experienced a nervous system settling that was almost like a natural sedative.

Since then, it’s become my go-to pose for managing sleeplessness, stress and tension, both physically and mentally. And research backs this up now, showing that yoga can improve sleep quality by activating your parasympathetic nervous system.

How to do flapping fish pose

Hold: 5-6 breaths or more each side

• Lie on your front with your forehead resting on your hands.
• Bend your right knee up to the side of your body, close to your chest.
• Keep your hips connected to the floor (or bed).
• With your hands interlocked or one palm over the other as a pillow, turn your head to the right.
• Angle your right elbow down so it’s close to your right knee, while your left elbow points up.
• Make any small adjustments you need to be comfortable and close your eyes.
• Hold for five or six rounds of breath, or longer if you prefer.
• Release the posture by returning your head and hands to the starting position then releasing your leg.
• Repeat on the other side.

Teacher tips: Once in the pose, focus on the front-of-body connection and slow, deep and long breaths. Aim for the same duration or number of breaths on each side.

Update 03/16: This article was initially published with reference to our expert, Dr Lara Aillon-Sohl, as a psychologist. She is a psychiatrist, not a psychologist. We apologise for this error, which has now been amended.

Sleep is a cornerstone of wellbeing. It’s the only form of rest that will allow you to recuperate the energy you’ve spent in a day. But sometimes it can feel almost impossible to drift off.

Headspace psychiatrist Dr Lara Aillon-Sohl explains that many people struggle with falling or staying asleep because of stress, racing thoughts, or frustration over not being able to sleep, which makes it even harder to rest.

She suggests trying sleep meditation to get in the right mental space to sleep.

“Mindfulness and meditation can significantly improve sleep quality, reduce insomnia symptoms and decrease nighttime awakenings,” Aillon-Sohl tells Fit&Well.

“Meditation helps by reducing both physiological and psychological arousal, lowering stress hormones, calming the nervous system, and promoting relaxation.

“Additionally, it can help train the mind to be present, rather than dwelling on worries about the past or future, which often keep us awake.

“Unlike sleep medications, which may have side effects or lose effectiveness over time, meditation is a sustainable, long-term solution. While it takes practice and may not work overnight, research suggests that consistent meditation practice can help people cultivate a healthier relationship with sleep, making it easier to relax and fall asleep naturally.”

How to meditate for sleep

“Getting started with meditation for sleep doesn’t have to be complicated,” says Aillon-Sohl. “It’s about creating a simple, calming routine that helps your mind and body transition into rest.

“The best way to approach meditation for sleep is with curiosity and gentleness—not as a task to complete, but as a way to create space for rest. Even if you don’t fall asleep right away, the practice itself is still beneficial for your nervous system and overall wellbeing.”

She suggests tying your meditation in with one of your existing bedtime habits, like brushing your teeth, reading or switching off your phone.

“You could even try keeping a sticky note on your wall or bedside table, reminding you to breathe or wind down,” she says.

Aillon-Sohl says not to worry about whether or not the meditation has “worked,” because the benefits come from building the habit, rather than from any single session.

Here are two meditation techniques she recommends.

1. Body scan

“One of the best meditation techniques for sleep is a body scan, which helps shift focus away from racing thoughts and into physical sensations in your body,” says Aillon-Sohl.

How to do it:

• Get comfortable in bed, close your eyes, and bring your attention to your toes, noticing any sensations or tension.
• Slowly move your focus up through your legs, hips, back, arms, shoulders, and neck, relaxing each area as you go.
• If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your body.

How it helps: This practice helps calm the nervous system and signals to your body that it’s time for rest, often leading to sleep before you even finish the scan.

2. Breath counting

If you don’t want to follow a guided meditation like above, Aillon-Sohl suggests a technique called breath counting, which can help quiet the mind.

How to do it:

• Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of one, then exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of two.
• Inhale for three, exhale for four, inhale for five and so on until you exhale for 10, then start over.

How it helps: This keeps your attention anchored in the present and prevents anxious thoughts from taking over.

We all want our bodies to be healthy, which to most of us means healthy hearts, muscles, bones and joints. Many of us are thinking about healthy guts, too. But how many people consider their brain health?

Too few, I’d guess, and perhaps that’s because we think of it as a fixed property. But while speaking to Dr Janina Kamm, an assistant professor and clinical neuropsychologist at The Chicago School, I discovered that’s not the case.

“It can change throughout your life,” says Kamm.

And you can support your brain to make these changes and encourage the formation of new neural connections with the choices you make every day.

Your brain’s ability to make new connections—to change structure and function—is called brain plasticity or neuroplasticity.

“The word ‘plastic’ in plasticity highlights that your brain is moldable or shapeable,” says Kamm.

“When you learn something new, for example, your brain forms new connections, which can alter the function and even the physical structure of your brain.”

Why is neuroplasticity important?

Kamm explains that everyone can benefit from promoting neuroplasticity.

“A brain that stays plastic is a more resilient brain,” says Kamm.

“Beyond aging well and maintaining functional abilities for longer, [it] promotes emotional flexibility, which makes you better able to manage stress, and quicker to acquire new skills.

“In short, investing in your brain’s health will help you feel more adaptable, emotionally steady and mentally agile at every stage of life.”

How to improve your neuroplasticity

Contrary to popular belief, Kamm says that brain training, like we often see advertised in apps and books, isn’t all that helpful.

You can train your brain as you might train your muscles, but perhaps not in the way you envisage.

“Brain training games and other applications advertising themselves as cognitive assessment and skill-building tools are unlikely to help with cognitive functioning,” says Kamm.

“We have mountains of evidence at this point to suggest brain training games offer very little benefit to the average user, if any at all.”

Instead, Kamm suggests focusing on the three lifestyle habits below to promote a healthy, plastic brain.

1. Exercise regularly

“Physical activity at a moderate level of intensity increases production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF),” says Kamm. “This is essentially a ‘fertilizer’ for brain cells that promotes the growth of new neural connections in your brain. It’s one of the most consistently supported interventions in neuroscience.”

Kamm explains that while there is still some debate around how best to exercise and for how long for brain health, you shouldn’t get caught up in the detail. All movement is good.

“I recommend an intensity level and duration that is consistently cited in research on aging; that is, moderate intensity exercise for 30 minutes, five times per week,” she says.

This includes activities like brisk walking, light cycling, swimming at a comfortable pace, and dancing.

2. Get enough sleep

“Your brain consolidates new learning and has a clean-up crew—your glymphatic system—working hard to remove metabolic waste during your sleep,” says Kamm.

“Chronic sleep deprivation impairs the brain’s ability to form and stabilize new connections from learning. This puts the brakes on plasticity.”

Improving your sleep is harder to do than starting to exercise more, but Kamm says there are factors in your control that can make getting high-quality sleep easier.

“Small changes to your sleep habits, like keeping a regular bedtime, sleeping in a dark, cool environment, limiting screen time before bed, and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon, can make a meaningful difference over time,” she says.

“If sleep problems persist, evidence-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) have a strong track record and are worth discussing with your doctor. Your doctor can also evaluate you for medical conditions that may be contributing to poor sleep.”

3. Maintain social connections

Loneliness can be lethal. It increases your risk of premature death by between 26% and 29%, according to a report by the U.S. surgeon general.

“Social interaction engages multiple brain systems simultaneously (language, emotion, memory, attention), and frequent socialization with others is associated with slower cognitive decline and greater cognitive reserve in aging,” says Kamm.

“Cognitive reserve is essentially a buffer that helps your brain withstand normal age-related changes or even injury without as much loss of your functional abilities.

“Social isolation, by contrast, has clear and measurable negative effects on brain structure and functioning over time.”

Child’s pose—a position where you sit back onto your heels from kneeling—is a popular and relaxing yoga posture that has a huge number of benefits.

These include stretching and lengthening the spine, hips and thighs, releasing tension in the neck and shoulders, improving blood flow, stimulating digestion, and calming the nervous system.

But what if the pose causes discomfort in your ankles, knees or hips? It doesn’t mean you have to abandon the posture altogether.

If you can’t sit back on your heels, there’s a niggle in your knees or your feet won’t lie flat on the floor, modifications can help. I’ve had to use these myself when recovering from injury.

As a yoga therapist, I often share the modifications with my own clients. Many of them are quick fixes that don't require a huge change to the original posture.

Here’s how to change up your child’s pose to address common complaints.

If you can’t fold forwards

If you struggle to fold your upper body over your thighs and your forehead is not touching the floor, then you might have tight back muscles or limited hip flexion.

The fix: Widen your knees so there’s more space for your torso to fold down. You can also place a bolster under your torso for extra support.

If your forehead is still off the floor, rest it on an elevated surface like a cushion, yoga block or create a pillow with your hands.

I used this modification when recovering from a bulging disc and still use it now I’ve recovered because it’s so relaxing.

If your knees hurt

When your knees feel uncomfortable pressing into the floor, the surface you’re practicing on could be to blame. An inability to bend your knees fully may also be an issue.

The fix: Place a folded blanket under your knees for cushioning or practice on a bed for a softer surface for your joints.

Place a rolled-up towel in the crease behind your knees to release pressure.

If your ankles and feet are uncomfortable

Being able to point your toes (plantarflexion) is necessary to sink comfortably in child’s pose. Pain in your shins or the top of your foot might signal a limited range of motion here.

The fix: Regularly practicing pointing your toes up (dorsiflexion) and down (plantarflexion) can help increase the range of motion in your ankles and reduce discomfort over time.

Place a rolled blanket under your ankles for support or tuck your toes under.

If you can’t stretch your arms forward

Tightness in your shoulders and chest may be the culprit here if you can’t extend your arms fully forward.

The fix: Keep a bend in your elbows or rest your arms by your sides, palms facing up.

Yoga offers countless poses to improve physical health, balance, coordination, flexibility and strength. But there’s one I rarely see taught in modern yoga studios: squat and rise (utthanasana in Sanskrit).

For over 15 years, I’ve been a student at the Bihar School of Yoga. Squat and rise is one of its many classical postures, but I don’t see it practiced outside of India—despite it offering a wealth of benefits.

This standing staple strengthens your legs as well as your back, pelvis, hips and ankles. What I like most is that it features four progressive stages, making it accessible for a range of abilities and fitness levels.

I often practice squat and rise in the morning, enjoying its energizing benefits yet feeling a sense of stability and strength too. I include it in my refugee and asylum seeker classes for exactly these reasons.

If you’d like to give it a go, here’s how to do it.

Safety advice: This pose isn’t suitable for people suffering from uterine prolapse. If you’re pregnant, stick to the first two stages only.

How to perform squat and rise (utthanasana)

Sets: 3-5 Reps: 1-5 each stage

• Stand with your legs in a wide squat stance, toes and knees pointing out to the sides.
• Interlock your fingers and let your arms hang loosely in front of your body.
• Stage 1: Bend your knees and lower your buttocks into a quarter squat. Keep your knees tracking over your toes and your spine upright. Straighten your legs and return to standing upright. Repeat 1-5 times.
• Stage 2: Bend your knees and lower your buttocks about halfway down, then return to the starting position. Repeat 1-5 times.
• Stage 3: Bend your knees and lower your buttocks about three-quarters down. Then return to standing. Repeat 1-5 times.
• Stage 4: Lower your buttocks until your interlocked hands touch or are close to the floor. Avoid rounding your back or bending forward. Hold for a moment. Then return to standing and release the posture. Repeat 1-5 times.

For all stages: Inhale to start, exhale while lowering your body. Inhale to return to standing.

Make it easier: Beginners should only practice the stages that feel comfortable, performing five repetitions each. If you have knee problems, practice only the initial stages.

Make it harder: If you can perform stage four comfortably, perform each stage, one after the other, for five sets.

Injuries can feel like they come out of nowhere sometimes, but this is rarely the case, according to Dr Shady Hassan MD, an interventional pain and sports medicine physician and the founder of NefraHealth.

He says that often his patients are injured because of repetitive habits that prime their bodies to fail, rather than a single accident.

Our approach to exercise might also be making us more likely to end up with chronic problems or weakness. On top of that, our behaviors outside of the gym might be increasing our injury risk, too.

Here, Hassan highlights the six chief drivers of injury that he sees and explains the changes you can implement to avoid long-term issues.

1. Going from zero to full speed on the weekend

“There’s a particular type of patient I see a lot,” says Hassan, describing a midlifer returning to exercise once their kids are a little older or someone who has a new hobby.

“Mentally, they still feel 25. Physically, they're not,” says Hassan. “It's in that gap where injuries happen.”

He tells Fit&Well that physical damage often happens when someone in a full-time desk job is sedentary on weekdays and then tries to run a half-marathon or crush a HIIT class on the Saturday.

Being a so-called weekend warrior is better than getting no exercise at all, but you need to be careful.

“Your tendons and spinal discs need gradual adaptation,” explains Hassan. “Sudden spikes in volume are how overuse injuries sneak up before you even feel tired.”

He explains that if in doubt, you should always apply the principle of progressive overload.

“Never increase your weekly volume, weight, or intensity by more than 10% from the previous week,” he says.

“Build a base first. Train for the sport, not just in it, that means mobility work and strength training off the court, not just showing up on the weekend and hoping for the best.”

2. Ignoring your body's check engine light

If you work out with “no pain, no gain” emblazoned on your chest, you might want to sit down for this one.

“In fitness, we’re taught to push through. But there’s a clinical difference between the burn of a hard set and the sharpness of nerve or structural pain,” says Hassan.

“Ignoring a twinge in your lower back or a catch in your shoulder is like driving with the check engine light on; eventually, the system shuts down.”

Hassan says that one of the worst parts of his job is seeing patients who waited too long with pain before getting professional help.

“It’s not because they were careless, but usually because they were hopeful. They figured it would get better on its own,” he says.

“But sometimes, waiting turns a simple problem into a complicated one. A tear that could have been managed with physical therapy now needs intervention.

“Early assessment doesn't mean aggressive treatment. Often it means the opposite: catching something while the simple options still work.”

Hassan suggests looking out for these two injury warning signs:

1. If a movement causes sharp, radiating, or one-sided pain, stop.
2. If something's been bothering you for more than two weeks and isn’t improving, get it looked at.

3. Lifting with improper form

While some of the advice in this list may come as a surprise, this one is more obvious but one of the most important.

“Strength is impressive, but knowing your limits is what keeps you out of my office,” says Hassan.

“A 50lb deadlift with perfect spinal alignment is infinitely more functional than a 200lb lift with a rounded back.”

To reduce your risk of injury, make sure that you’ve mastered the correct form for an exercise before you start piling on the weight.

“Progress gradually, respect where your body is today, and save the personal records for when your form can actually support the load,” adds Hassan.

4. Neglecting your core and your hips

When Hassan talks about your core, he doesn’t mean “beach muscles”.

“I'm talking about your abdominals, your obliques and your back muscles working together to stabilize your spine,” he says.

“A weak core means your spine is absorbing forces it was never meant to handle alone and that's a recipe for disc issues, muscle strains and chronic pain.”

And you need to exercise your hips for the same reason.

“Your hip mobility, stabilization and range of motion are a big part of why your back screams at you. Take care of both and your spine will be a lot quieter,” he says.

5. Not paying attention to your posture between workouts

“What you do between workouts matters as much as the workout itself,” says Hassan.

As many people work long hours at desks, they may find their bodies are more injury prone as a result.

“Spending eight hours a day hunched over a laptop rounds your mid-back and deactivates your glutes,” explains Hassan. “When you then try to overhead press or squat, your spine is out of alignment and your lower back takes the brunt.”

He suggests doing a posture reset every 30 minutes. “Stand up, pull your shoulders back and tuck your chin,” he says. “It takes 10 seconds, and it keeps your spine from paying for your desk job.”

6. Static stretching before explosive movement

“A lot of people still do long static holds before a workout,” says Hassan.

“From a sports medicine perspective, this can temporarily reduce the muscle's ability to absorb shock, which actually increases your risk of strains.”

He suggests switching to dynamic warm-up stretches, such as leg swings, lunges, arm rotations and cat-cow.

You can save the static stretches for after your workout to help loosen up and aid with muscle recovery.

Neck tension can lead to all sorts of discomfort and pain including headaches, migraines, and shoulder and upper-back pain. It can also impact the quality of sleep, especially if you aren’t using a good pillow.

It’s important to keep moving even if there’s tension, but this can be difficult if it’s uncomfortable or you’re worried about causing further harm to the delicate area of the upper spine.

Luckily, there is a simple and accessible way to relieve this neck tension and you don’t need much to get started.

How to relieve neck tension with yoga

You can do this variation of the neck movements (Greeva sanchalana) yoga posture sitting or standing.

• Start by taking a deep breath in then releasing it slowly.
• Inhale again and as you exhale, turn your head to look over one shoulder, keeping your chin parallel to the floor.
• Allow your eyes to follow your neck rotation, looking as far as you comfortably can without strain.
• Take note of where you reach with your gaze.
• Hold, ideally until you yawn.
• Bring your head back to the center as you inhale.
• Repeat on the other side.

Once you’ve practiced this once on each side, try it again and see if you are now able to move your head and eyes further. Note where your gaze falls now.

You should find a noticeable difference, indicating tension in your neck has been relieved. Practice this posture for best benefits.

Why and how it works

This yoga pose stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs through the sides of the neck and innervates various muscles located there. Stimulating this area can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting your body into a resting state and signaling to your body that you can relax.

This enables any tight muscles in your neck to relax and you may even yawn, another sign of entering a more relaxed state.

There’s also the benefit of simply turning your head slowly side to side (without looking back with your eyes if you find this uncomfortable) to release the muscles on the side of your neck (sternocleidomastoid), which tend to get tight and limit mobility.

Both my parents have been athletes all their lives. Their combined track record includes hockey team captaincy, multi-day cycle treks and regular triathlons.

My mother, in particular, is still raking in medals in her mid-60s and runs or hits the gym nearly every day.

Impressive, right? But being a highly active senior does have drawbacks, such as persistent aches and pains, chronic injuries and repetitive strain.

It’s something that Casey Lee, a board-certified geriatric physical therapist at ATI Physical Therapy, sees regularly through her work with active senior clients.

“They’ve been active and healthy all their lives, and they want to keep moving, exercising, playing, jumping, hiking, swimming, biking, pickleballing etc.—until the day they die,” she says.

“From an aging physiology standpoint, this is usually a very good thing. But, as my clients get older, their aches and pains get louder and more prevalent. A day without some kind of pain, ache, or stiffness is rare.”

Lee zeroes in on one particular issue. “The pain-inducing culprit with highly active adults is often repetitive stress without proper recovery,” she says.

Using the example of someone who plays pickleball religiously, Lee explains that they will only be working the muscles and running through the movement patterns needed for that particular sport.

“This is a recipe for repetitive overuse injuries like chronic tendinopathies, joint degeneration, spinal pain and stiffness.”

But Lee has two easy tips to help reduce aches and pains and stave off injury.

1. Diversify your movement

“The great news for this highly motivated and physically active group is that with a few activity modifications and a tailored exercise program, they really can have more pain-free days,” says Lee.

She explains that while she can’t promise total relief, she encourages her highly active clients to diversify their daily movements to support tissue resilience and adaptability. This looks like mixing up training rather than doing the same exercise all the time.

“A healthy and comprehensive exercise program should always include cardiovascular conditioning, strength and balance training, and tissue restoration,” she says.

If you’re not sure what this looks like for you, she suggests speaking to a physical therapist (use the American Physical Therapy Association’s ChoosePT website to fine one near me). They are trained to identify any gaps in your training to ensure that you have a well-rounded program that leaves space for you to recover.

“There’s a common misconception that you have to wait for a problem to occur before you can see a professional,” says Lee. “This is not true. Physical therapists play a role in injury prevention.”

2. Prioritise sleep

As well as varying the types of movement, Lee stresses the importance of recovery with rest days and, in particular, getting enough good-quality sleep.

“Sleep plays a critical role in immune function, tissue healing, pain management, cardiovascular health, cognitive function, learning and memory,” says Lee.

“If we are not sleeping, we are not healing.

“As we age, our sleep quality worsens, with over 20% of adults over 65 reporting trouble staying asleep. Clinically, this presents as ‘everything hurts and nothing helps’.”

Lee says that sleep problems can be incredibly frustrating, but challenges those struggling with them to think about sleep differently.

“I want you to think about sleep like a non-negotiable medical intervention,” she says.

“If you had a medical condition that required you to take a specific medication routinely to stay alive, you would make absolutely certain you followed the prescription schedule without deviation.  I want you to think about sleep just like that.”

She adds that good sleep hygiene is key. Try adding consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, and set yourself up with an evening wind-down routine.  

If you struggle with pain that keeps you awake, a physical therapist can help you troubleshoot your sleep posture. More complex sleep issues will need the attention of a doctor or sleep specialist.

If you spend hours of your day sitting, then tight hips, lower-back pain and a tight chest and shoulders might be familiar complaints—especially if you ignore your smartwatch’s reminders to move. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Yoga can relieve tension in the body and destress the mind, so it’s a great option for anyone looking to feel better in their body. If you’re not moving as much as your body needs, then a few targeted postures can help.

Here are my favorite yoga postures for counteracting the nine-to-five slouch. They can be practiced individually or as a complete sequence.

1. Extended child’s pose

This is a nice, easy posture that stretches your sides, opens your chest, shoulders and hips, while gently lengthening your lower back.

Hold: 3-5 breaths

• Get on your hands and knees, with your knees wider than hip-width apart.
• Move your glutes back to your heels, keeping your hands on the floor.
• Stretch your arms and hands forward on the floor, lengthening through your spine.
• Straightening your elbows and raising your hands so only your fingertips are in contact with the floor will allow a deeper stretch through your shoulders and chest.
• Hold here for a few breaths, then walk your hands back to your starting position.

2. Pelvic tilt

This is a gentle way of loosening and mobilizing your lower back. When you sit all day, your lower back might remain in one position—slightly rounded. These pelvic tilts allow your back to move through other positions, producing a gentle backbend.

Time: 1min

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-distance apart.
• Exhale as you draw your stomach muscles in to flatten your lower back to the floor.
• Inhale as you release and allow your lower back to naturally curve.
• You can exaggerate this movement into a backbend, depending on how your back feels.
• Continue tilting and arching mindfully.

3. Supported fish pose (matsyasana)

Supported fish pose offers a lovely stretch to the front of the torso as well as opening the shoulders and chest. This supported backbend can feel great after slouching at a desk all day.

Time: 1min

• Sit on the floor with a rolled-up yoga mat or towel vertically on the floor behind you.
• Gently lower yourself onto the rolled support, which should lie along the length of your spine with your head also resting on it.
• Use a cushion behind your head for added support if needed.
• Place your arms by your sides, palms facing up, stretching your chest and the fronts of your shoulders.
• Keep your knees bent or straighten your legs.
• Hold for as long as you’re comfortable.
• To release the posture, roll to one side and press yourself up.

4. Cow-face arms (gomukhasana)

Sitting at a desk all day closes the chest and fronts of the shoulders. This pose reverses that position.

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

• From either standing or sitting, inhale and raise your right arm overhead.
• Exhale, bend your elbow and place your right hand between your shoulder blades, palm facing you.
• Inhale and raise your left arm out to the side.
• Exhale, bend your elbow by your lower back, bringing the back of your hand to your middle back, palm facing outward.
• Clasp the fingers of your right hand with your left, if you can.
• Otherwise, keep the hands separated and breathe.
• While holding the pose, aim to bring your top elbow closer to your head, and your bottom elbow further up your spine.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.
• Release gently and repeat on the other side.

5. Warrior 1 (virabhadrasana 1)

When you sit for prolonged periods, your hip flexors can become tight. Warrior 1 offers a great release for this area.

Hold: 3-5 breaths each side

• From standing, inhale and take a large step back with your right foot. Avoid placing it directly behind your left foot, but to the side slightly to help you maintain your balance.
• Keeping your hips facing forward, place your hands on your hips.
• Angle your right foot out slightly, pressing your right heel and outer right foot into the floor for stability.
• Exhale, as you bend your front knee and lower your hips.
• Keep your weight evenly balanced between your feet.
• Keep your back leg strong and straight to stretch your hip flexors.
• Raise your arms overhead.
• Hold for a few breaths, then slowly lower your arms back to your hips.
• Step your back foot forward.
• Repeat on the other side.

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