We all come across people in our lives who have been suffering from chronic headaches and debilitating migraine. Only those who suffer from a migraine truly understand the pain and turmoil this condition brings along. A pounding head, a dull headache pressing into the spaces between the eyes, a sensation of tightening pressure and all those not-so-pleasant feelings, a headache takes over the life of a patient.

A wearing headache and migraine are sometimes accompanied by a varied range of upsetting feelings, extreme nausea, cognitive impairment, and eyesight disturbances that negatively impact a person’s life and it’s heartbreaking to see your loved ones suffer. Unfortunately, our stressful lifestyle has made headache and migraine conditions quite common. However, there is still hope that this life-threatening disease can be effectively treated through natural and traditional ways.

Yoga is the most potent solution that provides more than physical benefits. It calms the brain, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and allows the body to recover from anxiety and migraine. Therefore, yoga is a holistic and proactive approach to reducing a headache and curing migraine.

Given below are some of the best yoga poses for migraine:

1. Forward Hero Pose (Virasana): Kneel on the floor. Keep your knees hip-width apart and thighs vertical to the ground. Make sure the toes and fingers of the feet touch the floor. Draw the shoulder blades away from the ears. Slightly lean the torso in a forward direction. Now, lower your heart towards the ground and hands extended in front. Lengthen the tailbone and neck. Tuck the chin to the chest and rest the forehead on the yoga mat. Hold this posture for 30 seconds.

2. Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana): Begin in a tabletop position. Set your wrists with your shoulders and knees with your hips. Tuck your toes inward and raise your knees up above a yoga mat. Slowly, straighten your legs behind one at a time and keep the heels on the floor. Elevate your hips upward. Center the head between the upper arms and look at the navel. Remain in this posture for 30-60 seconds.

3. Wide Angle Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana): Begin in a Samasthiti. Step your feet 3-4 inches wide and keep your hands on the hip. Inhale, and lift your chest elongating the front torso. Exhale, bend forward the front torso at the hips. Extend your elbows fully to the ground. If possible, try to touch the ground with your head and gaze at the navel. Stay in this pose for 30-60 seconds. To release, bring your hands on your hips, swing the torso up, join the feet and come in tadasana.

4.  Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana): Stand straight on a yoga mat and evenly distribute the weight across both the feet. Keep your heels few inches apart from each other. As you inhale deeply, stretch the arms up towards the ceiling. Upon exhalation, bend forward and bring the arms to rest on the floor. Relax the neck and breathe. Stay in this pose for 20-30 seconds.

5. Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana): Sit with legs stretched in front of you. Fold the right leg and press the heel into the left crotch. Keep the sitting bones in close contact with the earth and lengthen the spine. Inhale, raise the arms up and with an exhalation bend forward. Clasp the arms around the left foot. Bring the forehead to rest on the shin. Remain in this posture for 30 seconds.

6. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana): Sit erect on a yoga mat. Unbend your legs and flex your toes. Keep the heels 2-3 inches apart. Breathe in, extend your arms upward. Breathe out, fold forward and lower your arms reaching for the toes. Rest your armpits towards the thighs. Relax your throat and hold this pose for 20 seconds.

7. Upward Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana): Lie on your stomach. Keep your spine, legs and hands extended. Pressing the palms into a yoga mat lift the head and chest up from the floor. Tilt the chin up and eyes back. Hold this yoga asana for 30 seconds.

If you or your dear one is suffering from a throbbing headache and migraine, practice these yoga poses for headache and start living a free-spirited life.