People tend to breathe very shallowly, working for hours without taking a good, deep, cleansing breath. When people catch themselves sighing or yawning during the day, this may be a sign that the body is trying to take in more oxygen for optimal functioning. As people continue to work long hours, eating meals on the run or skipping them altogether, a short breathing exercise in the middle of the day can relieve stress and be emotionally and physically rejuvenating. Afterward, people may be surprised to find themselves getting more work done, with better quality.

Each step of this exercise can be done while sitting at a desk. The steps are as follows:

1. Take a deep breath as you drop your chin toward your chest, touching the chest if possible. Hold the breath for a count of five. Exhale as you gently raise your head slowly to an upright position. Repeat as desired. It may also be helpful to do some “head rolls,” in which the head is rolled slowly to the right, to the chest, to the left, and to the chest in a semicircle.
   
   
2. Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms over your head. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.
   
   
3. Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms out in front of you. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.
   
   
4. Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms behind you. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.