Yoga for Tension Headaches
Posted by Rainbow6 on December 7th, 2010These are a couple of yoga poses that offer relief from tension headaches. I wouldn’t recommend these poses for migraine headaches, but for the tension variety of a headache, they are wonderful. Enjoy!
- Bound Angle Pose: Lie on your back on the floor. Draw your knees in toward the chest and gently rock back & forth. Allow the low back to feel support from the floor. When you’re ready, rest your feet on the floor with your feet underneath your knees. Take a few breaths here, in and out through your nose, allowing your exhale to be slightly longer than your inhale. When you’re ready, let the soles of your feet come together but still on the floor and let your knees fall open. You can adjust the intensity of the stretch by moving the feet closer (more intense) or farther away (less intense) from your body. Draw the shoulders down from your ears and let your arms rest by your side. Breathe & rest for 5-10 minutes or until you’re ready to get up. When you do, draw your knees back toward each other and then hug them towards you. Gently roll to one side and sit up slowly when you’re ready.
- Supported Relaxation Pose: Sit down on the floor near a chair or ottoman. Lie down on your back and gently lift your legs so that your knees, calves and feet are resting in the chair seat. (You’ll want to make sure that the chair seat is deep enough to allow your legs to rest comfortably.) As you get situated, make sure that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and that your calves are parallel to the floor. Allow your arms to rest by your side, and your shoulders to rest back down from your ears and back towards the floor. Close your eyes, soften your jaw and rest 5-10 minutes or as long as you feel comfortable. When you’re ready to get up, move slowly, and allow yourself to rest on one side before sitting up.
Tags: Tension
