Yoga isn’t just for fitness and flexibility. For many, it has become a powerful tool to manage migraines and even prevent them.
Here’s what science and practice tell us about yoga’s role in migraine relief.
Migraines are more than just bad headaches
Unlike typical headaches, migraines involve intense, often throbbing pain on one side of the head.
They can also bring nausea, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound – making any relief, even from yoga, incredibly valuable.
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Yoga taps into the parasympathetic nervous system
Practicing yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps slow your heart rate and lower blood pressure.
This calming effect can counteract the stress responses that often trigger migraines.
It’s more than a physical practice
Yoga offers benefits beyond the physical.
By calming the mind and soothing the body, it creates an environment where the nervous system can reset, helping to manage anxiety, depression, and pain – factors closely linked with migraines.
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Studies show yoga helps reduce migraine frequency
A 2014 study showed that people who added yoga to their existing migraine treatment had fewer headaches.
Their migraines were also less intense, making yoga a valuable complementary therapy.
Improved vagal tone is linked to fewer migraines
The same study found that yoga improved participants’ vagal tone, which is a sign of a well-functioning parasympathetic nervous system.
Better vagal tone means the body is more capable of calming itself, reducing the likelihood of migraines.
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Yoga restores autonomic balance
Disturbances in the autonomic nervous system are associated with migraines.
Yoga can help restore balance, especially in how the body regulates blood flow and stress – two major migraine contributors.
Child’s pose helps ease tension
Child’s pose is excellent for calming the nervous system.
It helps relieve tension in the neck and shoulders, two areas where stress commonly builds up during a migraine.
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Bridge pose opens up key areas
The bridge pose helps open the chest and shoulders and may ease anxiety.
This openness can also improve circulation and relieve pressure in the upper body, helping reduce migraine intensity.
Downward facing dog boosts brain circulation
This classic pose encourages blood flow to the brain, which can relieve pain and improve mental clarity during or after a migraine episode.
Corpse pose promotes deep rest
The corpse pose (Savasana) allows the body to enter a deep state of relaxation.
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For migraine sufferers, it offers a chance to reset both mentally and physically, which is crucial in the recovery process.
This article is based on information from Healthline.com.