These 5 easy yoga poses can help with headaches
A migraine headache is something that can affect your state of mind. It can really bring you down and make you feel absolutely helpless. A neurological disorder is responsible for causing recurring headaches. The headaches caused by migraines range from moderate to severe. A person suffering from migraines will experience pain on one side of the head. These headaches can last from hours to days, depending on the severity.
When a person gets a migraine headache, they will show unusual sensitivity to light and noise. Vomiting, nausea and aggravated pain during physical activity are common symptoms of a migraine headache. Migraines are considered to be more common than asthma, epilepsy and other common conditions combined. So, if you have migraines, you are not alone. Often times the medicine taken to manage migraines cause other side effects, like drowsiness for example.
If you are a yoga practitioner, you can use some poses to help you with your migraines. Yoga is an ancient holistic technique that combines poses with breathing techniques. And unlike the prescription drugs, it has no side effects on the body. Let’s look at some poses you can practice daily to help you with your migraines:
1. Hastapadasana (Standing Forward bend)
This standing forward bending pose is known to invigorate the nervous system by increasing the blood supply and calming down the mind. Standing tall, with an exhalation you bend forward and reach for your toes. Make sure to have micro bend in the knees as you fold forward to not put any pressure on your low back.
2. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge pose)
This asana is known to help keep the practitioner’s blood pressure under control by relaxing and calming the activity of the brain. Calming the mind can also help reduce anxiety. This pose is performed lying down on your back. Your legs must be bent when you reach your midsection off the floor into the sky.
This asana is a well-known stress reliever. It stretches the hips, thighs and ankles. It also calms down the nervous system, which in turn can bring calmness to your body and mind. From your hands and knees place your butt on your heels as you sit back and bring your forehead towards the floor.
This pose can improve blood circulation, relax the mind and relieve your stress all the while improving your breathing. It also eases the tension of the muscles. So, it will leave you relaxed and calm. This pose is performed on your hands and knees. As you exhale out, you tuck in your abdominal muscles towards the spine.
5. Paschimottanasana (Two-legged Forward bend)
This seated forward bending stretch can calm the brain, relieve stress and provide quick relief from headaches. Begin the pose by sitting on your buttocks. Next, find your sitting bones and extend your legs forward. Lastly, keeping your hips squared, reach forward with a straight back towards your toes.
Incorporating these poses into your daily life can help you lessen the impact of a migraine attack. However, you need to seek a medical practitioner’s advice before you stop taking medication. Yoga is a supplementary treatment that can help you deal with migraines and not an alternative to medication.