5 Exercises to Get You Through a Long Flight

While the idea of traveling across the globe in search of adventure is appealing to most of us, the hours spent waiting in airports, the lack of a comfortable sleeping space and the stiff necks that come with sitting on a plane for hours aren’t things that any of us look forward to. Fortunately, flying the friendly skies just got a lot friendlier with these quick and easy yoga moves that you can do comfortably from your assigned seat. Try these simple poses, recommended and modeled by the brilliant yoga experts at Power Core Fitness, the next time you’re 35,000 feet in the air.

1. Seated Side Bend

Inhale and lift your arms above your head, palms facing inward. Exhale and stretch to the right as you feel the left side of your body lengthening from your hip to fingertips. Turn your head to look past the left elbow. Remain in this pose from 5-30. Exit the pose by inhaling and lifting the torso upward. Repeat on the other side.

2. Seated Spinal Twist

Scoot up to the edge of your seat and twist to the right, bringing your left elbow to the outside of your right thigh. Peer over your right shoulder with your head held high. With every inhale, get a little taller through your spine, and with every exhale, twist a little deeper. Breathe slowly and remain in the position for 30 seconds to one minute. To release the pose, inhale to look forward and exhale to exit the twist. Reverse your legs and repeat twisting to the opposite side.

3. Seated Back Stretch

Reach both hands to the back of the chair, palms facing toward each other. Avoid locking your elbows and rotate the front of your shoulders out to open the chest and bring the shoulder blades together. Hold for several breaths, and repeat as necessary.

4. Thigh Stretch

Now that the “Fasten Seatbelt” sign has been turned off, stand up with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knee so your lower leg is behind your body. Grasp your right ankle with your right hand and pull straight up until your heel touches your buttock. Hold for 5-10 breaths before switching sides.

5. Seated Half Moon Pose

Sit at the very edge of your seat in an upright position. Raise your arms and arch backward. Simultaneously stretch your body while breathing deeply in and out. Release to an upright position and repeat 3-5 times.

How do you deal with the stress of flying? Tell us about it by tweeting us @BritandCo!

Styling: Angela Velez

Model: Jen DeKok
 Photography: Kurt Andre