Car yoga: top yoga positions for safer driving

Whether you’re commuting, racing against the clock, or stuck in traffic, driving can make us all feel anxious. However, did you know that driving while you’re stressed can also be dangerous for you and other road users?

Departure

We know that nobody has time for a lengthy routine, so we’ll be quick. These two yoga exercises, or asanas, will lightly stretch your body and create a relaxed mindset for the trip ahead:

Palm tree pose

Start in mountain pose with your feet hip width apart. Take a few deep breaths and interlace your fingers. Slowly bring your arms up, raising them straight above your head with your palms facing upwards.

Tadasana Gomukhasana

Start in mountain pose, or if you’re in palm tree pose slowly lower arms, bringing you back to mountain pose. Raise one arm above your head and reach around your back to grasp your other hand.

Yoga before you start driving

Traffic jams

Being stuck in traffic can be a real nightmare but instead of stressing out, try to refocus your mind and keep calm with these two stretching asanas. Pro tip: try to be conscious of your breathing and you’ll feel the tension ease out of your neck and back:

Neck sides

Start by looking straight ahead and gently pull your head to the side with your hand, applying light pressure, until your ear is almost touching your shoulder.

Posterio Shoulder Stretch

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Link your fingers and bring your hands above your head with your palms facing up. Slowly bend at a little your waist bringing your arms forward at the same time until they’re stretched out in front of your face.

Yoga for traffic jams

Road rage

There’s nothing worse than being cut off on the road or stuck behind a slow driver. As you feel the anger building inside, remember that you can’t control how other road users drive, only how you respond to them. Here are a few ways to stay cool, calm and collected as you get on with your trip:

Controlled breathing

When you start to feel the stress building up, concentrate on your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out, put on one of your favourite songs and try thinking of something that brings you joy.

Face rub

If, like most people, you tend to clench your jaw or hold tension in your face when stressed, gently rubbing your temples, jawline or eyebrows can work wonders to alleviate tension. But please remember to only do so while your car is standing still.

Yoga against road rage

Arrival

Once you’ve reached your destination, do take a minute to stretch and decompress before you move on to what’s next with these simple asanas:

Mountain pose

Stand with your feet hip width apart, arms by your sides and palms facing forwards. Take a moment to breathe deeply.

Standing side bend

Standing straight, lift one arm up and bend your body to the side. If you’ve lifted your left arm then bend towards the right. Return to an up right position and repeat on the other side. Remember to be mindful of your breathing.

Neck rolls

While in mountain pose, slowly roll your head in a circular motion to stretch and relax your neck muscles.

Warrior pose

Start in mountain pose, then step back with your right foot, pressing your right heel to the floor. Bend your left leg so that your knee is over your ankle. For more stability, you can use the back of your car and lean against it with both hands.

You've arrived

Once you’ve finished don’t forget to thank yourself for staying calm and safe during your trip.

At LeasePlan, aiming to make our fleet the safest in the industry and we’re serious about accelerating change by calling for low-speed communities and working towards zero road traffic injuries by 2030. Our SafePlan Zero strategy includes content, tools, guidelines and reports on the three major safety areas: the driver, the vehicle and fleet management. Join us in our journey to zero by learning more about what companies can do to make fleets safer.

Published at 26 September 2022

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26 September 2022