How to Have a Calm Commute

By Paige Greenfield

Five ways to thrive while you drive

Cure shoulders and chest tension
While sitting upright, place your feet firmly into the floor, knees directly over your ankles and thighs hips distance apart. Next, interlace your fingers behind your head. Relax your elbows and shoulders so they are limp. With your chest lifted and your chin tucked, stretch your elbows backward. Feel your shoulders loosening and your chest opening. Take five breaths, relax for a few breaths, and repeat again. You might even hear a cracking on the exhale.

Stretch out a sore back
While sitting, reach your hands toward the roof. Inhale deeply, and on the exhale, fold your body forward vertebra by vertebra until your arms and upper body are hanging over your thighs like a rag doll. Take five deep breaths here. Next time fold forward and grab either elbow with the opposite hand. The weight of your arms will open up the lower back, letting the stretch creep into the hamstrings too. Feel almost weepy with relaxation? Good.

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