The Benefits of Yoga for Reducing the Frequency and Intensity of Migraines

Introduction

Migraines are a common and disabling neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, moderate to severe headaches and associated symptoms. Migraines often involve throbbing head pain, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound, or smell. An estimated 12% of adults in the US suffer from migraines, with women being three times more likely to be affected than men.

Migraine attacks can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours when untreated. During an attack, most people are unable to function normally and need to rest in a dark and quiet room until symptoms subside. Migraines often impose considerable disability and negatively impact work, social activities, relationships, and overall quality of life. Lost productivity due to migraines is estimated to cost employers over $13 billion annually in the US.

Given the profound impact of migraines, finding ways to reduce migraine frequency and intensity is imperative. This article will explore the growing evidence that yoga can be an effective complementary therapy for helping manage migraines. We’ll cover how yoga works to relieve migraines, the best poses and breathing practices, as well as tips for creating an effective yoga routine. With some dedication and consistency, yoga offers a drug-free path to reducing migraine suffering.

How Yoga Helps Migraines

Yoga is an excellent way to help prevent and relieve migraines. There are several key ways that a regular yoga practice can reduce the frequency and severity of migraine symptoms:

Stress Reduction

One of the main migraine triggers is stress. The deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness involved in yoga help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress hormone levels like cortisol. This counteracts the “fight or flight” response that can initiate migraines. Yoga’s focus on awareness of breath and being present in the moment induces relaxation.

Increased Blood Flow

Certain yoga poses invert the body or apply gentle pressure, which can increase blood circulation to the brain and stimulate drainage. This improved blood flow and oxygenation of brain cells often provides migraine relief. Twists, inversions, and forward folds are examples of helpful poses.

Relaxation of Muscle Tension

Many migraines start with increased muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and head. Yoga incorporates stretches and exercises to relieve this tension and relax the muscles surrounding common migraine areas. Poses that stretch the neck, chest, upper back, and shoulders can be especially beneficial.

Better Posture

Having proper head and neck alignment reduces pressure on nerves and blood vessels that can trigger migraine pain. Yoga builds strength to support good posture and proper vertebrae positioning. This takes pressure off migraine trigger points.

Overall, yoga is a holistic practice that addresses multiple migraine sources – stress, tense muscles, restricted blood flow, and poor posture. A regular yoga routine can both prevent and stop migraines through its multifaceted approach.

Reducing Migraine Frequency

Multiple studies have demonstrated that practicing yoga can significantly reduce the frequency of migraine attacks for those who suffer from migraines.

One study published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain divided 72 migraine patients into yoga and self-care groups. The yoga group engaged in a weekly yoga session for three months, while the self-care group continued their normal migraine treatment. At the end of the study, the yoga group had fewer migraines per month, fewer migraine days, and lower migraine intensity scores compared to the self-care group.

Another study published in Cephalalgia had a similar setup with 60 migraine patients assigned to yoga or self-care groups. After three months, the yoga group had a reduction in migraine frequency of over 70% compared to only around 48% in the self-care group. Researchers concluded that yoga therapy can be considered an effective low-risk intervention for migraine prevention.

A meta-analysis in Complementary Therapies in Medicine looked at multiple clinical trials on yoga for migraines. They found strong evidence across studies that yoga significantly reduces migraine frequency, duration, and intensity. The analysis suggested that yoga’s benefits may come from reducing stress and anxiety, improving pain tolerance, and inducing a state of calm relaxation.

The research clearly demonstrates that practicing yoga at least once per week can dramatically decrease the number of migraine attacks patients experience each month. Yoga helps prevent migraines in the first place rather than just treating them after they occur. Those looking to reduce migraine frequency should strongly consider adding yoga sessions into their wellness routines.

Reducing Migraine Severity

Multiple studies have shown that a consistent yoga practice can help reduce the intensity and duration of migraine headaches.

One study divided 72 migraine patients into yoga and self-care groups. The yoga group practiced yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation for 12 weeks. Researchers found that the yoga group had greater reductions in migraine intensity, frequency, and associated symptoms compared to the self-care group.

Another study examined the effects of yoga on migraine in 60 patients. After three months of yoga sessions, participants reported experiencing migraines that were less painful, shorter, and needed less medication to treat. MRIs confirmed that yoga positively impacted pain pathways in the brain.

A 2020 meta-analysis evaluated 10 studies on yoga for migraine prevention. The results showed that yoga significantly decreased migraine intensity, number of hours in pain, and need for abortive medication during migraine attacks. The evidence indicates yoga helps lessen the severity of migraines once they occur.

Yoga’s ability to reduce migraine intensity likely stems from its effects on the stress response. Yoga lowers stress hormones and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts the fight-or-flight response active during migraines. Calming the nervous system can interrupt the pain cycle. Yoga also increases blood flow to the brain and improves neurological function for better pain regulation.

Best Yoga Poses for Migraines

Certain yoga poses are especially beneficial for reducing migraine frequency and intensity. By stimulating pressure points, improving circulation, and relieving muscle tension, these poses can provide relief during and between migraine attacks. Some of the top poses for migraines include:

Child’s Pose

Child’s pose gently stretches the neck, shoulders, and back. To do this pose:

• • Kneel on the floor and touch your big toes together behind you.

• • Sit back on your heels and separate your knees hip-width apart.

• • Exhale as you lower your chest between your thighs, extending your arms in front of you.

• • Relax your head and neck down and hold for 1-2 minutes.

This pose reduces muscle tension and stimulates pressure points in the back, providing migraine relief.

Forward Folds

Gentle forward folds soothe headaches by relieving tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Examples include:

• • Standing forward fold – With legs extended, exhale and fold forward at the hips, lowering your head towards the floor.

• • Seated forward fold – From a seated position, extend legs in front and fold forward at the hips, reaching your arms towards your toes.

Go only as far forward as feels comfortable. Hold for 1-2 minutes.

Inversions

Inversions reverse the effects of gravity to promote blood flow to the head and neck. Options include:

• • Downward facing dog – On your hands and knees, tuck toes under and lift hips up and back into an inverted V shape.

• • Legs up the wall – Lie on your back with legs extended up the wall.

• • Supported shoulder stand – With shoulders on a blanket, raise legs up with hips above the head.

Start with gentle inversions, avoiding strain. Practice for 1-5 minutes at a time.

Yoga Breathing for Migraines

Breathing exercises known as pranayama are an integral part of a yoga practice and can be extremely beneficial for preventing and stopping migraines. Pranayama involves controlling the breath through techniques like alternate nostril breathing, belly breathing, and breath retention.

These breathing practices increase oxygen supply to the brain and can reduce migraine triggers like stress and anxiety. Slow deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and muscular tension. This calms the mind and body, preventing the chain reaction of pain signals that lead to migraines.

In particular, alternate nostril breathing has been shown to balance nervous system activity and increase vagal tone. This enhances parasympathetic activity for relaxation. Breathing through the left nostril activates the right hemisphere of the brain, responsible for creativity and intuition. Breathing through the right nostril activates the left hemisphere, associated with logic and verbal skills. Alternating nostrils harmonizes the entire brain and nervous system.

During a migraine attack, breathing exercises can provide immediate relief. Practicing abdominal breathing with exhales longer than inhales dilates blood vessels and increases blood flow. This oxygenates tense muscles and relieves headache pain. Breath retention after the exhale allows carbon dioxide to accumulate, further opening up blood vessels.

Yogic breathing is portable and can be done anywhere during migraine episodes. By making pranayama part of a consistent yoga routine, migraines may be prevented altogether. The long-term balancing effects of these breathing techniques offer a drug-free way to reduce migraine frequency and severity.

Yoga Lifestyle Benefits

Yoga is about more than just the physical poses – it is a lifestyle that can provide wide-ranging benefits that help mitigate migraines.

The emphasis on breathwork and meditation in yoga helps improve sleep quality. Studies show that poor sleep is a frequent trigger for migraines, as lack of sleep causes stress hormone levels to rise. By calming the nervous system before bed through yoga, people tend to fall asleep more easily, sleep more soundly, and wake up more refreshed. Deep breathing triggers the relaxation response, lowering blood pressure and heart rate so the body can relax. The meditative aspect also quiets the mind from repetitive thoughts that can make it challenging to fall and stay asleep.

Regular yoga practice is proven to reduce stress levels substantially. Migraines are often triggered by high stress, as tense muscles and mental anxiety contribute to the cascade of events that cause a migraine attack. Yoga’s focus on controlled breathing and mindfulness helps manage the body’s stress response. Movement paired with breath helps release muscle tension and anxious energy throughout the body. A daily yoga practice gives people tools to mitigate daily stressors and prevent them from accumulating.

The emphasis on healthy living also provides preventative benefits. Those who practice yoga tend to make healthier overall lifestyle choices like staying hydrated, eating nutritious foods at regular intervals, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep. They also build self-awareness to identify triggers and are more disciplined at managing lifestyle factors that may contribute to migraines. A holistic yoga practice and community provide support and motivation to maintain healthy habits long-term.

Creating a Yoga Routine

When creating a yoga routine for migraines, it’s important to include a combination of poses that address migraine triggers and symptoms. Try to practice daily if possible, even starting with 10-15 minutes per day can provide benefits. Here are some sample sequences to try:

Morning Routine

A morning routine helps set you up for migraine prevention throughout the day. Try this sequence:

• • Cat/Cow – 5 rounds to warm up the spine

• • Downward Facing Dog – hold for 5 deep breaths to energize

• • Standing Forward Fold – hold for 8 breaths to calm the mind

• • Mountain Pose – hold for 5 breaths to set intention

• • Warrior II – hold each side for 5 breaths to open shoulders

• • Tree Pose – hold each side for 8 breaths to build focus

Finish with 5 minutes of Seated Meditation focusing on the breath.

Evening Wind Down

Practice this sequence before bed to release tension and relax:

• • Child’s Pose – rest for 5 breaths

• • Reclining Big Toe Pose – 5 breaths each side to stretch hamstrings

• • Reclining Spinal Twist – 5 breaths each side to unwind the spine

• • Legs up the Wall – hold for 5-10 minutes to calm the nervous system

Finish with Breath Awareness Meditation for 5 minutes.

Migraine Relief Sequence

Try this sequence when you feel a migraine coming on:

• • Downward Facing Dog – hold for 5 breaths

• • Standing Forward Fold – hold for 8 breaths

• • Bridge Pose – hold for 5 breaths

• • Legs up the Wall – hold for 10 minutes

• • Lion’s Breath – 5 rounds to release tension

• • Seated Meditation – 10 minutes focusing on the breath

Remember to check with your doctor before starting a yoga routine, and modify poses as needed. Experiment to find sequences that work best for your body and migraine symptoms.

Overcoming Barriers

Taking up yoga, especially for migraine relief, can seem daunting at first. Here are some common obstacles that may come up, and how to overcome them:

Not enough time – It’s easy to feel like you don’t have time for yoga. Start with just 5-10 minutes per day. Even a short yoga sequence can provide benefits. Over time, you may find you can devote more time as it becomes a priority.

Physical limitations – Don’t push your body into painful positions. Work gently within your limits. Props like blocks and straps can help modify poses. Focus on gentle stretches, breathing, and relaxation.

Hard to motivate – Make yoga a consistent habit by practicing at the same time daily. Joining a class or doing yoga with a friend can provide accountability. Consider what motivates you – is it feeling better or learning something new?

Unsure where to start – Begin with simple YouTube videos, online programs, or studio classes marked “beginner” friendly. Don’t get overwhelmed trying to learn everything at once. Start with the basics.

Concerns about cost – While studio classes can be expensive, there are budget-friendly options. Check community centers, local discounts, or online videos. Once you learn the basics, a home practice is very affordable.

Embarrassment – It’s normal to feel self-conscious trying new poses. Remind yourself everyone starts somewhere. Focus on your own experience, not others around you. Celebrate small successes.

With some patience and perseverance, you can overcome any barriers to establishing a yoga practice. Be kind to yourself along the way. Over time, you’ll start to experience the migraine relief and other benefits that make yoga so worthwhile.

Conclusion

Yoga offers numerous benefits for migraine sufferers seeking to reduce the frequency and intensity of their headaches. Through a combination of physical poses, controlled breathing techniques, and lifestyle changes, a regular yoga practice can help prevent migraines and make them less severe when they do occur.

Some of the key takeaways include:

• • Certain yoga poses like Child’s Pose, Downward Facing Dog, and Forward Bends help improve circulation, relax muscles, stimulate the vagus nerve, and relieve migraine triggers like stress and tension. Practicing these regularly can reduce migraine frequency.

• • Pranayama breathing exercises like Nadi Shodhana alternate nostril breathing have been shown to immediately alleviate migraine symptoms and decrease headache intensity by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

• • Adopting yoga principles like mindfulness, meditation, and acceptance in daily life empowers migraineurs to better manage stress and prevent migraine attacks. Combining yoga on and off the mat is most effective.

• • Creating a personalized yoga routine with poses that address your migraine triggers, performed at a pace that is comfortable, can make a real difference in reducing migraine burden. Being consistent is key.

• • While beginning a yoga practice can be challenging, the long-term benefits for migraine relief make it an extremely worthwhile endeavor. Seeking support and modifying poses can help overcome barriers.

With proven abilities to both prevent and treat migraines, yoga is a holistic, drug-free solution that empowers migraineurs to take control of their health. By making yoga a regular habit, many can find true relief from their debilitating headaches.