Sitting for long periods of time...in the same place

Been waking up the past few mornings and rolling into this position. And gotta say my back has been thanking me. This asana highlights the 6-movements of the spine, and if you think about it, we rarely do most of them in our everyday. Unless you're reaching into the backseat of your car to grab something in a quick movement, and end up with a muscle spasm because there's few everyday activities that promote conditioning of all 6-movements of the spine in a mindful manner (flexion, extension, side bending to the right and left, and rotation to the left and right).

So try and roll yourself out of bed and do this pose for 2 minutes and see if it changes your range of movement after a few days/weeks...

Cat / Cow Pose

(image sourced from womenshealthmag.com)

• Position hands under your shoulders, knees directly below your hips. 
• Press the tops of your feet into the floor, engage your core, shoulder blades move down your back.
• On the inhale; lift your tailbone to the sky, stomach drops towards the mat, and head lifts up to the sky.
• On the exhale; tuck your tailbone in, pretend your spine is being lifted to the sky with a gossamer string and let your head drop-chin into your chest. 
• Repeat slowly syncing your breath and feeling the movement progress from your coccyx to the crown of your head. Repeat for 5 breathes.
• Then come into Table pose. Inhale, and then exhale looking over your right shoulder. Inhale and come back to facing front, exhale and look over the left shoulder. Repeat 3-5 breathes.
• To complete the pose, push back onto your heels, keeping arms extended in front of you, into extended child's pose. Rest for 3-5 breathes.

Also known as Marjaryasana (Cat/Cow) & Balasana (Child's pose)