Yoga for headaches

This morning I woke up with a pounding headache.  I think it’s from the little flu I feel coming on but it could be from anything. Headaches are very common and can be originate from countless sources.  Many friends and family ask me if yoga can help with headaches; and yes they can.  When a headache starts coming on, we often drop everything and try finding a quick fix.  I don’t like taking medication if I don’t have too.  So when I am getting a headache from dehydration, stress, tension, or anything else, I pull out the mat to do headache therapeutic yoga.

I find yogic breathing exercises along with a specialized headache sequence can nix headaches pretty quickly.  Yoga has the ability to relieve tension, boost circulation, calm the mind and can be a powerful natural remedy for headaches.

Specific poses can help alleviate pain associated with headaches and can help prevent headaches from happening in the first place.  This morning I incorporated some of these poses into my practice to prevent and treat my headaches.

1.    Deep Breathing (Pranayama) – Deep breathing releases tension in the shoulders and brings more oxygen into the brain.

2.    Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) - This is a beginner pose and is a great way to relieve tension in the spine, shoulders, and neck.  It also boosts circulation in the upper body.



3.    Child’s Pose (Balasana) - This fundamental resting pose can be a powerful remedy for stress, anxiety, and headaches.  It quiets the mind and releases tension from the back and shoulders.


4.    Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) - Not only is this pose good for headaches, it helps dealing with stress, calms the brain and helps relieve mild depression, relieve some symptoms of menopause. Overall a great pose.


5.    Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) - Calms the brain to relieve stress to prevent headaches.  It energizes the body, and relieves headaches, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue.


I hope these poses can help deal with headaches and prevent them in the future.  For more information on therapeutic focused yoga poses visit the Yoga Journal.com

Namaste.