12 Yoga Poses For Migraines With Forms & Pressure Points To Relieve Pain!

Are you tired of the consistent pain of migraines disrupting your life? Seeking natural and practical ways to manage these headaches? Yoga poses for migraines can be your solution! Migraines are more intense than normal headaches. They are often accompanied by consistent nausea, dizziness and sensitivity to light and sound, lasting from a few hours to a few days. When practised regularly, certain migraine headache yoga poses can help reduce migraine symptoms by reducing stress, improving circulation, and promoting relaxation.

But which yoga positions for migraines are exactly recommended for added efficiency in relief? Let's explore how incorporating the best yoga poses for migraine headaches can help you find relief and enhance your overall wellness.

Table Of Contents

1. 12 Yoga Poses For Migraines

2. Which Yoga Is Best For Migraines?

3. What Pressure Point Relieves Migraines?

4. Expert’s Advice

5. The Final Say

6. FAQs

7. References

12 Yoga Poses For Migraines

These classic yoga poses for migraines are known to calm the nervous system rush, which can be especially effective for stress-induced migraine headaches. These lower and upper-body workout poses ensure you release muscle tension regularly. Let’s discuss its targeted benefits and steps to perform each yoga pose for migraine:

1. Child's Pose (Adho Mukha Virasana)

This pose is a deeply restorative pose that offers numerous benefits for migraine sufferers. Gently stretching the lower back, hips, and thighs helps release tension and reduce muscle stiffness. The pose also promotes relaxation by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which reduces the excessive stress response often associated with migraines. 

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Sit on your heels properly with your knees slightly apart.

2. Keep your bottom or "sit bones" on your heels.

3. Reach forward with your hands on the floor.

4. Gently touch the ribcage of the thighs until the forehead touches the floor.

2. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

This pose is known for relaxation and stress reduction. It allows the body to unwind, promoting deep rest and rejuvenation completely. By practising Savasana regularly, you can improve your body's ability to cope with stress, a common migraine trigger. This pose also helps lower blood pressure and reduce muscle tension, improving overall migraine relief.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Lie down with a blanket under your head.

2. Keep your body flat on the floor.

3. Let go of all the tension and thoughts that come to you.

3. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Asana)

Bridge Pose offers a gentle backbend to help alleviate neck and shoulder tension and common migraine pain points. This pose also improves circulation to the brain, providing essential oxygen and nutrients. Additionally, it stimulates the thyroid and pituitary glands, which can help regulate hormones plus reduce excessive stress levels.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Lie on your back with knees properly bent and feet flat on the surface, hip-width apart.

2. Place your arms by your sides with palms down.

3. Lift your hips off the floor, pressing through your feet and arms.

4. Interlace your fingers beneath your pelvis for support.

Also Read: Yoga Poses for Flexibility Enhancement & Empower 

4. Plow Pose (Halasana)

This is an advanced inversion that requires core strength and flexibility. It can improve circulation to the head, potentially reducing migraine pain. However, it's essential to approach this pose with caution and under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher, as it can be challenging for beginners and may not be suitable for everyone.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Lie on your back properly with your arms by your sides.

2. Use your hands to support your lower back and hips and turn onto your shoulders in a shoulder stand.

3. Keep your legs straight with your toes pointing towards the ceiling.

4. Extend your legs up and over your head until the front of your thighs are directly in front of your face.

5. Lower your legs and keep them straight until your feet touch the floor behind your head.

5. Breathing (Pranayama)

Regular Pranayama, or breath control, is a powerful tool for managing migraines. Techniques like in-deep, diaphragmatic breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and cooling breath can help to calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve oxygenation to the brain. Regular practice of pranayama can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Find a comfortable seated or straight lying position.

2. Focus on your breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply.

3. Practice techniques like alternate nostril breathing or deep diaphragmatic breathing.

6. Standing Folding Pose (Uttanasana)

Standing folding pose is a gentle inversion that can help reduce stress plus improve circulation to the head. This pose stretches the hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders, releasing tension and promoting relaxation. Also, the inversion effect can help drain the sinuses and alleviate congestion, which can sometimes contribute to migraine symptoms.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Hinge forward at the hips, folding your upper body towards the floor.

3. Relax your head and neck, allowing them to hang freely.

4. If possible, touch your toes or shins with your hands.

Also Read: 7 Best Yoga For Stress Management And Its Instant Benefits!

7. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This asana is an inversion that helps increase blood flow to the brain cells, which can help relieve migraines. It also stretches the entire body, releasing tension and improving circulation. This pose also helps to properly strengthen the core, arms, and legs, improving overall physical health and reducing stress. The grounding effect of pressing hands and feet into the mat can help centre the mind and reduce anxiety.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Start on your hands and knees, with your hands properly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.

2. Spread your fingers wide and consistently press your palms into the floor.

3. Lift your knees off the ground, forming an inverted V shape with your body.

4. Push your hips back and down, aiming for a flat back.

8. Feet Up The Wall (Viparita Karani)

This is a restorative inversion that helps to calm the nervous system and reduce stress. It promotes relaxation and improves circulation to the lower body, which can help to alleviate tension headaches. This pose is also beneficial for reducing swelling in the legs and ankles. You can enhance comfort and deepen the relaxation response by supporting the hips with a blanket.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Lie on your side with one hip close to a wall.

2. Swing your legs up the wall, keeping them extended.

3. Lower your body until your back is flat on the floor.

4. Rest your arms by your sides with palms facing down.

9. Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana)

Shoulder Stand is an advanced inversion that requires core strength and balance. It can help improve brain circulation, calm the mind, and stimulate the thyroid gland. However, it's important to approach this pose with caution and under the guidance of a qualified yoga teacher, as it can be challenging for beginners and may not be suitable for everyone.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Lie on your back with your knees properly bent and feet flat on the surface.

2. Place your hands on your lower back for support.

3. Lift your legs and hips, bringing your body into a straight line.

4. Use your hands to support your lower back.

Also Read: Physiotherapy Exercises For Lower Back Pain Relief

10. Headstand (Sirsasana)

It is an advanced inversion that requires significant core strength and balance. It can increase healthy blood flow to the brain, improve focus, and stimulate the pituitary gland. However, it's a high-risk pose that should only be attempted under the guidance of a qualified yoga teacher. To build strength and balance, beginners can practice preparatory poses like the Dolphin Pose.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Start kneeling with your forearms flat on the floor, forming a triangle.

2. Place your head on the floor between your hands.

3. Lift your knees towards your chest and slowly straighten your legs, bringing them overhead.

11. Forward Bend On Two Legs (Paschimottanasana)

It is a gentle inversion that stretches the hamstrings, lower back, and spine. It helps to calm the mind and reduce stress, which can benefit migraine relief. This pose also improves digestion and can help alleviate constipation, which can sometimes trigger migraines. By lengthening the spine rather than forcing the head towards the knees, you can deepen the stretch and reduce strain on the neck.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Sit with your legs straight out before your body, your spine straight, and your toes pointed towards you.

2. Raise both arms above your head and stretch as you inhale.

3. With an exhalation, bend forward from the hip joints and move the chin towards the toes. 

4. Keep your spine 180 degrees straight and focus on moving toward your toes rather than down toward your knees.

5. Place your hands on your legs wherever they can reach without stretching. If you can, grab your toes close and pull them to go forward.

6. Perform the Paschimottanasana yoga pose, which is a seated front bend yoga pose.

7. As you inhale, lift your head slightly and lengthen your spine.

8. As you exhale, gently move your navel towards your knees.

12. Cat Stretch (Marjarásana)

Cat-Cow Pose is a gentle spinal twist that helps warm the body and improve flexibility. It also massages the inner abdominal organs, which can help to improve digestion and reduce excessive stress. This pose can help relieve muscle groups tension in the neck plus shoulders, which can heighten the migraine pain. By synchronising the breath with the movements, you can enhance the relaxation and stress-reducing benefits of this pose.

Steps To Perform This Yoga Pose For Migraine:

1. Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor, your hands directly under your shoulders, and your feet flat on the ground; your knees should be hip-width apart.

2. Look straight ahead.

3. As you inhale, lift your chin, tilt your head back, push your navel down and lift your tailbone. Compress the buttocks. 

4. Hold the cat pose and take long, deep breaths.

5. Follow the counter movement: As you exhale, lower your chin to your chest, plus arch your back as much as you can; release the buttocks.

6. Hold this position briefly before returning to the table-like initial phase.

Also Read: Yoga Positions For Beginners: 35 Poses To Ignite Your Practice

Which Yoga Is Best For Migraines?

With its blend of physical postures, deep breathing, and meditation, yoga offers a holistic strategy to managing migraines. Also, regular yoga practice can reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches you experience.

While not a replacement for medical treatment, yoga effectively complements it. Gentle yoga styles like Hatha, Restorative, and Yin are particularly beneficial, as they focus on relaxation and stress reduction. These practices help calm the mind and body, which are often the root causes of migraine triggers.

Note these three types of yoga poses which are particularly helpful for people with migraines:

1. Hatha Yoga

This gentle form of yoga emphasises physical postures (asanas) and breath control (pranayama). It is ideal for beginners and those with limited mobility. Hatha yoga incorporates a series of gentle stretches and holds, focusing on the upper body and neck, areas often tense during migraines. 

2. Restorative Yoga

This deeply relaxing style of yoga employs props like bolsters, blankets, and weighted blocks to support the body in passive postures. Restorative yoga induces profound relaxation by allowing the body to surrender and release fully. This deep relaxation can help reduce stress, a common migraine trigger, and promote overall well-being.

Also Read: Yoga For Digestive Health: Improve Gut & Discomfort

3. Yoga Nidra

This meditative practice, also known as yogic sleep, involves guided relaxation and awareness. It is designed to induce a state of deep relaxation without falling asleep. Yoga Nidra calms the nervous system, reduces stress, and promotes mental clarity. It can be particularly beneficial during migraine attacks when the mind is racing and overstimulated.

Note:

• Remembering that what works for one person might not work for another is essential.
• Avoid hot yoga because it is intense and contains difficult poses. These can trigger a migraine, especially if you are not used to them.
• Listening to your body and avoiding intense or challenging poses that could exacerbate a migraine is crucial. 
• Instead, look for a yoga form that involves deep breathing and meditation.

Also Read: 15 Power Yoga for Weight Loss With Insights & Tips

What Pressure Point Relieves Migraines?

Acupressure is the physical pressure application to certain parts of the body. These points are called acupuncture or pressure points. Have a look at these essential pressure points to relieve migraine when done by experts in the field:

Expert’s Advice

Though yoga can improve your resistance to migraines, it should not be used as an alternative to medication. I recommend continuing treatment until the doctor advises otherwise. These simple yoga poses will lessen the impact of a migraine attack and can eventually stop them permanently. So, do yoga daily and banish migraines from your life for good.

                                                                       Health Expert 
Lavina Chauhan

The Final Say

In the end, yoga poses for migraine effectively reduce the excruciating pain, interfering with personal and professional life. Combining gentle physical postures and deep breathing, yoga asanas for migraine headaches help reduce stress, improve circulation, and promote overall relaxation. In addition to practising these poses and pranayama for migraines, explaining your situation to your family will encourage emotional support. 

Remember, while yoga exercise for migraine is an effective way, consult your doctor for a comprehensive migraine treatment plan.

FAQs

1. What are the best 3 yoga poses for migraine in the initial phases?

Try these 3 yoga poses for migraine relief:

• Child's Pose: This gentle pose stretches the back and hips, promoting relaxation and reducing tension in the head.
• Corpse Pose: A deep relaxation pose that helps calm the mind and body, easing migraine-related stress.
• Bridge Pose: This pose can help improve blood circulation to the head and relieve tension in the neck and shoulders.

2. Which yoga poses to avoid for migraine for effective results?

You must avoid intense or inverted poses. These can increase blood flow to the head, potentially worsening migraine symptoms. Also, if a pose causes discomfort or pain, avoid it.

3. How do you start with a 10-minute yoga for headaches?

Start this way for maximum efficiency:

• Focus on gentle stretches, deep breathing, and relaxation.
• Include poses like child's pose, cat-cow pose, and forward fold.
• Incorporate short meditation or breathing exercises.

4. Can Surya Namaskar cure migraine?

Yes, it is also a great stress reliever. With its huge health benefits, Surya Namaskar is great for headaches.

5. Can yoga pose cure migraines?

Yes, yoga asanas can be an effective way to reduce the bad frequency plus severity of migraine headaches. Yoga helps lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, allowing the body to recover from excessive stressful events such as migraines.

References

• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/migraine-relief-pressure-points#ear-pressure-points
• https://psychcentral.com/health/yoga-for-migraine#poses-to-try
• https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/yoga-poses/paschimottanasana-seated-forward-bend
• https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/yoga-sequences-for/yoga-for-headache-and-migraine-relief
• https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/migraine-yoga

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