Natural Headache Solution

Whether a headache occurs because of stress, neck and shoulder tension or a hangover, yoga can be a great alternative to popping a pill! Especially stress-relieving yoga poses are a natural way to ease headaches as well as migranes. Next time you begin to experience the first signs of a headache or a migraine, take a break from whatever you are doing and try some of these gentle poses. 

If you suffer from migraines on a regular basis, try adding these poses to a daily or weekly routine to prevent and ease migraine attacks. 

Remain in the poses for 5-10 breaths. Breathe deeply to calm the nervous system and to increase oxygen flow to the brain as you allow stress and tension to melt away.

Photos by Saara Oinonen

1. Standing forward fold variation. Begin standing and interlace the fingers behind the back. Fold forwards from the hips and allow the arms to become heavy. Bend the knees as much as you need to and slightly shake the head side to side to release tension from the neck and shoulders. If any thoughts in particular are bothering you at the moment, let go of them as you visualize shaking them out. 

2. Eagle arms. Come into a seated position and reach out the arms in front of you, cross the left arm over the right, bend the elbows and thread the arms together. Lower the shoulders away from the ears and send the elbows away from yourself. Take a couple of deep breaths as you create space in the upper back in between the shoulder blades. Release and cross the right arm over the left coming into eagle arms on the other side. 

3. Cow face arms. Raise the left arm, bend the elbow and lower down the palm in between the shoulder blades, place the opposite hand on the elbow to deepen the pose. 

4. Cow face variation. If possible interlace the fingers behind the back. To deepen even further, option to lower the right ear towards the right shoulder to target the neck. Release and repeat cow face pose on the other arm. 

5. Reverse tabletop. From seated, lower the souls of the feet on the floor and place the palms behind your back with the fingertips pointing towards the feet. On an inhale press the floor away with the feet and the hands and lift the hips towards the ceiling. If it feels okay you can allow the head to fall back. 

Slowly lower down from the pose and either take a couple of deep breaths seated or lie down in Savasana, final relaxation pose to deepen the body's ability to soak in the benefits of your practice. If you feel like you need a bigger dose of yoga, try Legs up the wall, which also is an amazing headache reducer among many other benefits!

Listen to the signals of your body. Breathe, allow yourself to take it slow, rest and remember; 

nothing is permanent.

Take care yogis! Namaste