International Yoga Day : Yoga Poses to Reduce Tension Headaches

 

International Yoga Day : Yoga Poses to Reduce Tension Headaches

If your headaches arise from tension, then you might want to consider yoga.

Yoga helps ease tension headaches by relaxing muscles in your head, back, and neck, boosting circulation to your brain and upper body, and improving your posture.

The best time to treat a headache is at the first sign of the pain, before the muscles go into spasm. To reduce the amount of headaches you experience, incorporate the following yoga poses into your daily routine.

Simple Seated Twist

How to:   

• Sit straight on the edge of a chair.
• Plant the feet firmly on the floor.
• Press the buttocks down into the chair seat.
• Cross your right leg on top of your left at the knee.
• Take your right arm to the back of the chair and your left hand to your right knee.
• Turn from the belly to the right on the exhalation.
• Keep your shoulders down and your chest open.
• Relax your eyes, jaw and tongue.
• Hold for 10 seconds breathing evenly.
• Return to center and repeat on the opposite side.

Also Read : International Yoga Day 2018 : Indian Army Jawans to perform Yoga in border areas

Grabbing Opposite Elbows

How to:

• Stand with the feet firmly planted on the floor, hip width apart.
• Clasp your elbows behind your back.
• If you have more flexibility, place your palms together behind your back, with your fingers pointed upward.
• Relax your eyes and jaw.
• Hold for 10 seconds breathing evenly.
• Release.

Gomukhasana Arms

Props: Yoga belt or tie

How to:

• Stand with the feet firmly planted on the floor hip-width apart.
• Lift your right arm into the air beside your right ear.
• Bend your right elbow.
• Reach your right hand behind back, palm faces your back and place it down between your shoulder blades.
• Bring your left arm behind your back and climb it up to clasp your right hand.
• If you have tight shoulders, use a yoga belt or tie between your hands.
• Hold for 10 seconds breathing evenly.
• Release and repeat on the opposite side.

Garudasana Arms

How to:

• Wrap your arms around your torso, right arm under left, hugging yourself.
• Bring your hands up, your left elbow rests in your right elbow.
• Rotate your hands, palms face each other.
• Relax your eyes, jaw and shoulder blades.
• Hold for 10 seconds breathing evenly.
• Release and repeat with your left arm under the right.

Side Stretch

How to:

• Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet hip-width apart.
• Plant your feet firmly on the floor.
• Lift your arms beside your head,
• Grab your left wrist with your right hand.
• On an exhalation, gently stretch to the right, pulling your left arm and wrist with your right hand.
• Press your weight down to the left buttock.
• Hold for 10 seconds breathing evenly.
• Return to center and repeat on the opposite side.