4 Easy Stress-Relieving Massages to Do at Your Desk
There you are sitting at your desk, jamming away, when, out of nowhere, a headache strikes. You know the kind we’re talking about: the dull, aching pain behind your eyes. It’s no fun. And no good for work productivity. But before you pop a pill, try these massage techniques below.
“Any time that you feel like you’ve hit a wall, feel sleepy, have a headache, or eye strain, take a few minutes for a little self-massage,” says Annette King, ELEMIS Global VP of Education. You can do it without getting up from your chair — and even be discreet enough that your office mates won’t give you a funny look. In fact, they may even ask for a quick tutorial.
If you have puffy eyes and dark circles…
To begin, firmly plant your elbows on top of your desk to act as an anchor (do this for each of the moves below). Apply a rice-grain amount of eye serum or cream (King recommends Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment [$68]) to your ring finger and circle it around the eye. “Always work toward the bridge of the nose, never out, because you don’t want to stretch your skin outward,” says King.
If you have sinus pressure or eye strain…
Still with your elbows on the desk, “pinch along the eyebrows from the center to the end,” King instructs. “It’s a circular muscle, so it helps to bring circulation to the area and remove the toxins.”
If a headache hits…
You’re probably familiar with the concept of pressing in at your temples once a headache strikes. But success is all in the technique. “Press with your middle finger on the temples, using wave-like pressure,” she instructs. “That works with the alpha-beta waves of your brain to tell your body to relax and calm down.”
If you look a bit sluggish…
For a midday (or morning, we’re not judging) pick-me-up, place your finger in the center of the cheek, along the upper jawbone, and press in. “This is your glow spot, which helps you look more energized,” King says.
Practice each of the techniques whenever you need, and you’ll be good as new in no time.
What are your tips for busting stress at work? Tell us @Britandco.
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(Photo via Getty)
