You don’t have to work at a physically demanding job to come home feeling completely exhausted. The demands and stress encountered by the millions of Americans who don suits to work each day are major energy zappers that send many to the coffee shop or machine by midday for a dose of caffeine for a temporary boost.

Caffeine, however, can leave you drained when its effects wear off. A healthier, more revitalizing way to boost your mood and energy while lowering your blood pressure and heart rate is yoga, says New York City yoga instructor Edward Vilga.

“Nonsense,” you say to the idea of striking a few power poses in your office or cubicle?

It’s anything but nonsense, says Vilga, whose clients are primarily “suits – corporate types who have climbed the ladder of success brilliantly,” but are usually in desperate need of the balance that can be obtained through an orchestrated combination of breathing and easy stretches.

“It’s when you’re in the thick of things – navigating the corporate jungle, negotiating with clients or stuck in traffic on your way to a major meeting – that you need the calming benefits of yoga the most,” says Vilga, who has assembled a “yogic tool kit” for corporate types in his new book “Yoga for Suits: 30 No-Sweat Poses to Do in Pinstripes” (Running Press, $14.95).

From “Upward Spiral” and “Attitude Elevator” to “Rat Race Release” and “Climbing the Corporate Ladder,” Vilga’s cleverly named poses can be accomplished by just about anyone who’s healthy. The more high-pressured your life, the more you need to weave a little yoga into it, he says.

Yoga in the workplace, Vilga says, improves attitude, reduces stress and allows greater focus.

You don’t need a mat, change of clothes, props or a shower afterward for Vilga’s “Yoga for Suits” poses. All can be accomplished with minimal effort right at your desk. They are designed to bring peace of mind as they release tensions in the body. The end result: revitalization.


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