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We all experience headaches at one time or another. Yoga can provide some natural relief!

Various things can trigger headaches such as stress, hormone fluctuations, certain foods/drinks, weather changes, sleep issues, dehydration, hunger, eye strain, and some medications. Poor posture and lack of adequate oxygen can contribute to headaches as well.

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Poor posture creates tension in the neck and shoulders, affects your respiratory system, and circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain. Yoga can provide tension headache relief by relaxing tight muscles in the neck, back, and shoulders. Practicing yoga improves posture, increases circulation, and fosters deeper breathing.

A regular, consistent yoga practice will help prevent headaches by reducing your level of stress and the accompanying tension in the muscles of the body. You can also ease the pain of headaches with some specific yoga poses.

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Certain poses can help target some of the causes of your headaches, such as stress and tension. When you are experiencing a headache, come to your yoga mat to try the following sequence and you may experience tension headache relief. The increased circulation to the head and deeper breathing may be just what you need to feel better! While practicing the following sequence take full, deep breaths in and out of the nose in each pose. The number of breaths per pose is a suggestion, modify as needed.

1. Tadasana   – Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart. Activate the muscles in the legs, core, and arms. Gently press the shoulders down and back. Align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over the hips, knees, and ankles. Reach through the fingertips toward the earth. Feel the weight of your body evenly across both feet.  Take 5-10 breaths in the pose.

2. Uttanasana –  Stand with the feet approximately hip-width distance apart. Fold forward from the hips with the knees bent/soft with a relatively flat back. Bring the hands to the floor, your yoga blocks, lower legs/thighs, or grab opposite elbows. Release the neck, making small circles with the head and nodding/shaking the head. Take 5-10 breaths.

3. Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog Pose – From table position, walk the hands forward about a handprint (4-6 inches). Tuck the toes under with the feet hip-width distance apart. Lift the hips up and back, lengthening through the back. Bring the head between the arms and gaze back toward the feet.

4. Cat – Come back down to hands and knees in table position. Wrists under the shoulders, knees under the hips. Exhale and press into the palms, pulling the navel in and rounding through the back. Bring the head between the arms. Take 5 breaths.

5. Bhaktasana, Devotional Pose – from table position, press the hips back over the heels, arms extended. Bring the forehead to the mat, or a block. Let the arms relax. Take 5-10 breaths. Or if you have a bolster, try the following restorative variation.

Bhaktasana supported by bolster – Sit back on heels with knees wide. Place the narrow end of the bolster between the knees. Lie the torso down onto the bolster and rest the arms on the floor. Take 3-5 breaths with the head turned to the right, then 3-5 breaths with the head to the left.

6. Janu Sirsasana – Sit with the legs extended out in front of you with a long spine. Bend the right knee into the chest and open it to the side, bring the sole of the foot to the inner thigh. Inhale lengthen through the spine, exhale forward from the hips, keeping the spine long. Place your hands on the floor on either side of the extended leg. Take 5-10 breaths here. Repeat on the other side.

7. Garudasana arms variation – sitting cross-legged on the floor, extend the arms out in front of you parallel to the floor, palms facing each other. Bend arms at elbows and bring the forearms and palms together. Keep the shoulders down. Feel the stretch across the upper back. Take 5 breaths.

8. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (supported) –  Variation #1  Lie on your back with knees bent, heels in close to hips with feet hip-width distance apart. On the exhale, firm the belly and press the low back into the mat. On the inhale, press into the feet and lift the hips up. Place your yoga block underneath you, where the waistband would be. Let the weight of your body be supported by the block. Rest the arms, palms up at your sides. Take 10 breaths.

Variation #2 Place your bolster on your mat. Sit toward the end of the bolster. Lie back over the bolster, with your head, neck, and shoulders on the mat. Your feet are on the floor. Relax the arms out to the sides. Take 10 breaths.

9. Viparita Karani, Legs Up the Wall Pose – (how to video) Sit with the side of the body next to the wall, knees bent, feet on the floor. Come down onto your back, angling your body perpendicular to the wall (as in the picture) and walk your feet up the wall and right over your hips. Bring the hips in close to the wall. Extend the legs up the wall. Let the arms rest at your sides. Stay in the pose as long as you like. I recommend at least 3 minutes. Watch the video for more information, related to the use of props and how to get up into the pose.

The best remedy for headaches is prevention. The most common type of headache,  a tension headache, can be reduced with a regular, consistent yoga practice. Yoga asana (poses), pranayama (breathing practices), and meditation can help alleviate stress in our lives.  Stress and tension are major causes of headaches in our society today. Read my post about Starting a Home Yoga Practice to begin a consistent home program that works for you! Try the poses in this post for natural headache relief.

Please post questions and comments below!