Headaches are widespread in Germany. More than 70 percent of the German population complains of occasional headaches, and more than 18 million suffer from migraine attacks. Too much stress, too little sleep, tension , or an unhealthy diet are just a few of the factors that trigger the unpleasant pain in the forehead, back of the head, or neck area. When the pain starts, most people immediately reach for painkillers without considering the actual trigger. The result: In the next stressful phase of our lives, we say hello to the next attack.
With the right yoga exercises, we can not only relieve stress, which is a key cause of many ailments, but we can also reduce headaches. Therefore, in this article, I'll introduce you to six asanas that are good for your head.
1. Janusirasana (Head To Knee Pose)
Sit on your mat and extend your right leg forward. Bring your left foot to the inside of your right thigh. Stand up straight, stretch your arms in the air, and make yourself as long as you can. Now lean over your right leg and try to grab your foot with your hands. It's okay if you can't reach it. You can also place your hands on your ankle or knee. Hold this pose for about 60 seconds.
Janusirasana releases tension throughout the back and neck and slows the release of hormones from the pituitary gland and adrenal glands.
2. Viparita Karani (Legs Up The Wall)
This is a relaxing pose that stimulates blood flow. It calms the mind and reduces fatigue. First, sit sideways against a wall with your legs stretched out. Now lie flat on your back and simultaneously raise your legs in the air. Try to rotate your upper body so that your buttocks are against the wall and you can lift your legs against it. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides. Hold this pose for a few minutes.
This asana stimulates blood flow, calms the mind, reduces fatigue and also relieves tension in the frontal brain.
3. Balasana (Child's Pose)
Come into a heel seat, open your knees wider than hip-width apart, and bring your big toes together. Now rest your upper body on your thighs with your forehead touching the floor. You can either place your hands next to your body with your palms facing up, or stretch them out in front of you with your palms facing down.
This asana stimulates blood flow, calms the mind, reduces fatigue, and relieves tension in the frontal lobe. Therefore, it's a super relaxing exercise if you suffer from headaches.
4. Marjaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow Pose)
Come to your mat in a quadruped position. As you inhale, bring your belly down and draw your shoulder blades back. At the same time, lift your head so that your gaze is forward. As you exhale, draw your navel toward your spine and tilt your pelvis. Now pull your spine toward the ceiling, rounding it like a cat's hump. Bring your chin toward your chest. Come to your mat in a quadruped position, with your palms under your shoulder joints and your hips and ankles in a line.
The combination of Cat and Cow poses helps improve circulation and increase oxygen flow between the head and lower body. The combination of movement and breathing helps calm the mind, suspending thoughts, and giving the head a break.
5. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
The starting position for this asana for headaches is Mountain Pose. As you exhale, slowly lower your upper body forward through your hip joints. Make sure your ankles and hip joints form a line. To do this, bring your weight slightly more into your toes until you feel like you're almost tipping forward.
Now try to touch the floor with your fingertips. Alternatively, you can grab your opposite elbows and let your upper body hang. If the tension in your legs becomes too strong, you can also bend your knees slightly.
This asana releases tension in the spine, neck, and shoulders. It stretches the spine and releases discs that have become compressed from prolonged sitting.
6. Downdog (Adho Muka Svanasana)
Start this asana from a quadruped position. Your fingers are spread and pressed into the mat. Exhale, point your toes, and lift your knees off the mat as you lift your buttocks toward the ceiling, slowly straightening your legs. Try to push yourself slightly away from the floor with your hands to build the right amount of core tension and push your heels toward the mat. Now rotate your arms slightly outward to allow your shoulders to drop further. Your head is relaxed, but not simply slumped.
The downward dog strengthens and stretches the muscles in the upper back and releases tension in the neck and head.
