7 yoga moves for soothing stress headaches

If you’ve tried taking a screen break, having some water and getting a breath of fresh air and still have a headache, then try this soothing yoga flow for some light relief.  

How often have you woken up after a poor night’s sleep, only to feel your head pounding from eye socket to ear? Perhaps you only get pain on one side of your head, or your headaches seem to come on later in the day, slowly growing in intensity.

There are a few things you can do to take the sting out of the pain: rehydrate, take a screen break, get a breath of fresh air. I like to pinch my eyebrows to remind myself that I’m not trapped in a migraine. And then, of course, there are drugs like paracetamol and ibuprofen. But those other measures don’t work for you and you don’t want to get into a habit of taking painkillers, then yoga might also offer some heady relief.

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Hannah Barrett, yoga teacher, headache sufferer and author of Yoga Happy believes that many types of headache are due to tension and stress – and that yoga “can help you to release tension and calm your mind”.

“Headaches can also be brought on by lack of sleep,” she tells Stylist. “The following flow can be done before bed to help calm the body and mind to prepare for a restful night’s sleep, which can help to prevent headaches before they even have a chance to appear.”

Obviously, as beneficial as it may be, yoga isn’t a miracle cure. Anyone who lives with migraines knows just how impervious they can be to medication, let alone stretching. If you tend to have a lot of headaches, one continues for days at a time or you think your migraines are increasing in severity, you’re better off chatting to your GP rather than hopping on your mat.

Otherwise, Barrett has come up with a simple but effective breathing technique and sequence of postures. She explains: “These are my go-to poses to bring relief whenever I have a headache, and most can be done just about anywhere.”

Hannah Barrett’s 7-step yoga flow for headaches

Seated alternate nostril breathing

This breath exercise helps to calm the nervous system and balance and soothe the mind.

1. In a comfortable seated position, tuck the index and middle fingers of your right hand into your palm, and exhale fully to begin.
2. Bring the right thumb to your face and close the right nostril. Take a full and slow inhale through the left nostril. 
3. Close the left nostril with the ring finger then release the right nostril and exhale slowly and fully. 
4. Take a full and slow inhale through the right nostril. 
5. Close the right nostril with the thumb then release the left nostril and exhale slowly and fully.
6. Repeat for eight to 10 cycles, trying to even the breath and aiming for an equal length of inhale and exhale. 

2. Seated side stretch

Stretches the neck, shoulders and side body and helps to calm the mind.

1. From a seated position, gently inhale, lifting the left arm up towards the sky and finding length in the side body. 
2. As you exhale, take a side bend over to the right-hand side, keeping the sit bones grounded.
3. Inhale to bring yourself up through centre, then repeat on the other side.
4. Repeat five times.

3. Seated neck stretch

Releases tension through the neck and shoulders and helps to open the chest.

1. From a seated position, gently rest the right fingertips on the ground beside the right hip. 
2. Take a breath in as you bring the left hand to the crown of the head, and as you breathe out slowly bring the left ear towards the left shoulder using the hand as a gentle guide. 
3. Take five breaths here and then inhale.
4. Release and repeat on the other side.

4. Seated cat / cow

Mobilises the spine, opens the neck, upper back and chest, creates calm and can improve posture.

1. From a seated position, interlace the fingers behind the head.
2. Inhale as you open the elbows and chest, breathing up and lifting through the chest bringing a gentle bend into the upper spine.
3. Exhale and start to round through the back bringing elbow to elbow as you draw navel to spine, round the back and tuck the chin. 
4. Repeat five times.

5. Shoulder rolls

Releases tension through the shoulders, neck and upper back.

1. Inhale, rolling the shoulders up towards the ears. 
2. Exhale as you release them back and down. 
3. Repeat five times.

6. Supported child’s pose

Calms the mind and nourishes the body.

1. Kneel on the mat with the big toes together and the knees about hip width apart.
2. Exhale and lie your torso down between the thighs, keeping the spine long.
3. Stretch the arms forwards, feeling a stretch from the tailbone out through the fingertips.
4. Alternatively, you can bring the knees together and bring the arms back and place the hands on the floor alongside the torso with the palms up, releasing the fronts of the shoulders toward the floor.
5. Rest here for five slow breaths or longer if required.
6. To make this pose really restorative, place a pillow between the thighs and melt the torso over it.

7. Legs up the wall

Calms the nervous system and quietens the mind.

1. Lying on a mat, bring the hips to the wall, with the upper body flat on the floor and sitting bones as close to the wall as is comfortable.
2. Gently raise the legs straight up, resting them against the wall.
3. Option to place a pillow or blanket under your sacrum to ease any discomfort in the lower back and help to hinge at the hips.
4. If you have time, stay here for five minutes or longer.

Yoga Happy by Hannah Barrett (Quadrille, £20) is out on 27th January.

Illustrations: Eleanor Hardiman, Photography: Cecilia Cristolovean

Check out our range of 15-minute mobility workouts over on the Strong Women Training Club.

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