Your Personal Best: Shoulder shrug and breathing

This combination of breathing and exercise activity can help calm your mind and body.

The exercise is called the shoulder shrug, and this style of deep breathing is also known as diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing. Here’s how you do it:

• Sit comfortably in a chair, place your feet slightly apart and place your hands above your knees
• Relax your shoulders back and down
• As you breathe in deep into your belly, bring your shoulders up and toward your ears on a count of four
• Gently exhale as you relax your shoulders back and down on a count of four
• Repeat for 10 repetitions

The oxygen that deep breathing adds to your system alongside stretching helps relax your body and mind and reduces tension in your back, neck and shoulders.