The causes of a headache could come from a variety of sources. These might include muscular tension in the neck, emotional stress and shallow breathing patterns, as well as more serious causes such as tumors. If you suffer from headaches, see your doctor first to rule out the more critical conditions. Then try these simple yoga exercises to help with the more common causes of headaches. Despite the success that some have experienced in treating headaches through yoga, there is not enough clinical evidence to prove that yoga is an effective cure for a headache.
Shoulder Rolls
According to Tomas Brofeldt, an emergency medicine doctor from University of California, Davis, headaches may occur due poor posture and the resulting muscle fatigue. Rolling your shoulders may help correct the tendency to round forward while also relieving muscular tension. Sit up straight with your legs crossed or on a chair. Rest your hands gently on your knees. Without lifting your arms, roll your shoulders forward three times and then back three times. After the last roll, hold your shoulder back and think about drawing your shoulder blades downward to bring your chest out slightly. Take a deep breath with your eyes closed while concentrating on keeping the chest open.
Neck Relaxation
Neck exercises gently stretch overtaxed neck muscles, helping relax muscular tension that could lead to headaches. Sit in the same posture as for shoulder rolls above. Drop your chin toward your chest and take a deep breath, relaxing on the exhale. Drop your head back and take a deep breath. Drop your head to the left, bringing the left ear towards the left shoulder. Take a deep breath and then repeat on the right side. Then roll your head slowly around three times clockwise and three times counterclockwise. Repeat the whole sequence three times.
Pranayam
According to Serber, headaches may be the result of shallow breathing patterns. Yogic breathing exercises, pranayama build awareness of the breath and encourage deeper breathing. The yoga complete breath is a simple but effective deep breathing pranayam that promotes relaxation. Seated as for shoulder rolls, take a breath in through your nose and consciously try to direct the breath towards your belly, while pushing your belly out. Let the air then fill the middle part of the lungs and finally push the chest out as you fill the chest. Exhale slowly releasing the air the opposite way -- chest, ribcage and belly. Repeat three to seven times.
Meditation
According to Doctor Richard Blasband, from the Center for Functional Research in Tiburon, Calif., many headaches are caused or exacerbated by stress. While many forms of yoga may help with stress relief, those focused on practicing meditation -- such as Sivananda Yoga -- may be especially helpful. According to the book "Yoga and Psychotherapy," meditation may help release the mind from focusing on stressful life situations. The book cites cases from the Menninger Foundation in which research subjects reported relief from ailments such as migraine and other headaches as the result of practicing Yogic meditation techniques.
References
- Yoga Cure for Headaches by Ellen Serber
- "Yoga and Psychotherapy"; Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine, MD and Swami Ajaya PhD
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