Yoga Rx for Headaches

Published on August 12, 2002

Yoga not only provides relief for the pain and cause of headaches, but can also prevent headaches from occurring in the future.

Most headaches are due to stress and tension held in the head, neck, shoulders and upper back. When these muscles are continuously contracted, they constrict the flow of blood, oxygen and prana (energy) to the head. Since the brain is the first part of the body that will die if denied this blood and oxygen, it gets cranky really fast and usually lets you know via a pain in your head.

When you feel a headache coming on, the first thing to do is stop what you are doing and take a break. Close your eyes, relax and take a few deep breaths through the nose into the belly. Scan your upper body for tension and tightness and consciously allow it to release and relax. Adjust your posture: reach the crown of the head up to lengthen the spine, let the shoulders drop down and back to open the chest. If you cannot consciously release the tension, you may want to give yourself a shoulder, neck and face massage. Gently press and lightly circle on the tops of the shoulders, the back of the neck, the third eye and temples.

During a headache, yoga postures and pranayama can help alleviate pain and release tension and stress. Practice in a calming environment with low lights and soft music. Focus on calming and restorative postures like child, puppy dog, seated forward fold, supine bound angle, bridge, plow and knee down twist. Finish your yoga practice with shavasana using an eye pillow or a small, folded towel placed over the eyes. Start your shavasana with Dirga pranayama – slow deep breathing in the belly and chest.

A general yoga practice is the best preventative medicine for headaches. Focus on postures that will release tension in neck and shoulders, increase circulation to head and stimulate the nervous system. A general practice will reduce stress and tension in the whole body while increasing circulation and absorption of oxygen. Dirga, Ujjayi and Nadi Sodhana pranayama will calm the mind, release tension, and increase circulation of blood and oxygen.

Talk to your doctor if you are having more than two or three headaches per week, or if a bad headache lasts for several days. Migraines and cluster headaches can be helped with yoga, but you must have the supervision and approval of your doctor.

Yoga Therapy resource page for Headaches

Share with

Friends

Our Latest

Yoga Articles
  • Best Time to Meditate

    Finding the Best Time to Meditate: Tips and Advice on When to Sit

  • Purusharthas

    Purusharthas: The Four Goals of Life

  • Trimurti

    Trimurti: The Hindu Trinity of Brahma Vishnu Shiva

  • Brahman

    Brahman: Definition, Meaning, and Philosophy

  • Yoga Nidra

    Yoga Nidra: Meaning, Benefits, Videos and Tips

  • Living Like a Yogi

    17 Rules for Living Like a Yogi

  • heart opening yoga poses

    The Best 16 Heart Opening Yoga Poses

  • Negative Energy in a Person

    18 Clear Signs of Negative Energy in a Person

Remove Ads with a

Premium Membership

Viewing ads supports YogaBasics, which allows us to continue bringing you quality yoga content. Sign up for a premium membership to remove all ads and enjoy uninterrupted access to the best yoga resources on the web.

Explore More

Yoga TipsAdviceArticlesPracticesBasicsTechniques

  • yoga and supplements

    The Best Supplements to Improve Your Yoga and Life

  • Daily Yoga Routine at Home

    8 Tips to Maintain a Daily Yoga Routine at Home

  • yoga meditation ego

    4 Ways Yoga Can Defeat Your Ego

  • yoga skin care tips

    7 Essential Skin Care Tips Every Yogi Should Know

  • Back-bending Yoga Pose for Envy

    Stop, Breathe and Shift: How to Conquer Yoga Envy

  • Hot Yoga at Home

    Can You Practice Hot Yoga at Home?

  • meditation before bed benefits 2

    11 Benefits of Meditation Before Bed

  • Tantra Yoga

    Tantra Yoga – Defined and Demystified

  • Yoga Pose For Empowerment

    4 Paths to Find Empowerment in Yoga

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Timothy Burgin Avatar
About the author
Timothy Burgin is a Kripalu & Pranakriya trained yoga instructor living and teaching in Asheville, NC. Timothy has studied and taught many styles of yoga and has completed a 500-hour Advanced Pranakriya Yoga training. Timothy has been serving as the Executive Director of YogaBasics.com since 2000. He has authored two yoga books and has written over 500 articles on the practice and philosophy of yoga. Timothy is also the creator of Japa Mala Beads and has been designing and importing mala beads since 2004.
Yoga Basics