Working at a desk all day can lead to weak, underactive glutes, a weak core, tight rounded shoulders, a poke neck.... all of which can predispose you to developing back and neck pain, headaches and shoulder injuries.

And that's not to mention the chronic stress that can come with this kind of lifestyle.

A regular yoga practice can go a long way in helping to counteract these common issues, and it doesn't need to be time-consuming. If you can spare as little at ten, twenty, or even thirty minutes a few times a week, you can learn to relieve stiffness, prevent back-pain, stand up a little straighter, and intentionally relax by bringing your parasympathetic or "rest and digest" nervous system online.

It's important to start your practice with a gentle warm-up, building a little heat in the muscles, and moving joints so that they become naturally lubricated. If you've been sitting down all day, start slowly and increase the speed and size of your movements only as you feel comfortable.

Some asanas which are really useful for a deskbound body include:

Standing poses: these strengthen our legs, remind us to stand up tall, and improve our balance. You can incorporate a gentle back bend and hip flexor stretch with a pose like Warrior I, or strengthen your core with a variation of Triangle Pose where you keep the arms extended.

Back bends: we often think of flexibility when it comes to backbends, but they are a great opportunity to strengthen important muscles in our posterior chain like the glutes. Locust pose is a perfect and accessible example of this. A less dramatic example is Upward Plank (Purvottanasana) which also includes the benefit of stretching the chest and shoulders.

Any pose where the legs and hips are elevated above the heart: there are many inversions in yoga, but simply propping the hips up on a block and elevating the legs against a wall or chair has a profoundly relaxing effect. Inverting the body in this way prompts the body to slow the heart rate - if you haven't tried this, you really have to!

And speaking of relaxation, doing all of these things consciously, with focus on the breath and body, is a beautiful opportunity to practise mindfulness and build a habit of intentionally switching off from work, getting out of fight-or-flight mode, and allowing the parasympathetic nervous system to "rest and digest", which is when your body does its important repair and recovery work, preparing you for the next challenge.

If you'd like to be guided through a practice like this, be sure to check out this 35-minute class, created to address common issues of desk-bound people, and leading you into a deep state of relaxation.