3 Feel-Good Yoga Poses to Tame Headaches

These simple stretches can help you release tension in your head, neck and shoulders, plus improve posture to help prevent further pain.

Almost everyone gets a headache at some point. If you’re lucky, yours is mild and lasts only a short while. But for many of us, headaches can last for hours, even days.

According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, up to 50% of people over 65 experience headaches, often from tension or migraines. More rarely, headaches stem from inflammation, structural and spinal issues, medications, or medical conditions. Most headaches aren’t dangerous, but that doesn’t make them any less uncomfortable.

Tension headaches are the most common type of head pain. They’re caused by tightness in your shoulders, neck, scalp, jaw and more. Bad posture, specifically a position where your head is forward of your shoulders, is also a common culprit.

Luckily, yoga can offer relief from tension headaches.

How Yoga Helps Relieve Headaches

Studies suggest yoga breath work and calming stretches, or poses, can reduce the frequency, duration and intensity of tension headaches.

Below are three poses that can ease muscle tension. As you practice, aim for gentle movements. If you want to add other poses, be sure to steer clear of strong twists, inversions, backbends or anything that puts tension on your neck.

As always, safety is key. Get your doctor’s OK before beginning a new exercise program. If you have a chronic condition, balance issues, or injuries, talk to your doctor about how you can exercise safely.

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3 Yoga Poses for Headache Relief

When you practice, try to find a quiet space where you have limited distractions. As you inhale, let the breath expand your abdomen, not your chest. This is a more calming way to breathe. As you exhale, allow your torso to deflate. Follow this deep breathing pattern as you practice all the poses below.

Pose #1: Mountain Pose With Shoulder and Neck Rolls

Why it works: Slow breathing and diaphragmatic movement from your low abdomen sends signals to your nervous system to relax. Gentle neck and shoulder stretches release gripped muscles in those key headache areas.

How to do it:

1. To get into the Mountain Pose, stand comfortably with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Take a few slow, deep inhales and exhales.
3. When you feel ready, begin Shoulder Rolls.
4. Inhale and draw your shoulders up.
5. Exhale and drop your shoulders back and down.
6. Repeat shoulder rolls as many times as feels comfortable.
7. Next, begin Neck Rolls.
8. Inhale and lengthen your spine and neck by drawing the crown of your head away from your hips.
9. Exhale and release your right ear toward your right shoulder. Keep your shoulders down.
10. Inhale and lift your head.
11. Exhale and release your left ear toward your left shoulder. Keep your shoulders down.
12. Repeat as many times as feels comfortable.

Variation: This exercise can be done seated.

Pose #2: Mountain Pose With Cactus Arms (Opened and Closed)

Why it works: Opening your chest counters rounding and muscle tension in your upper back and promotes better posture.

How to do Cactus Arms Open:

1. From Mountain Pose, inhale and reach your arms out and overhead.
2. Exhale, and keeping your chest lifted, bring your arms out to your sides with palms facing forward and elbows bent 90 degrees like a cactus. That’s one rep.
3. Do five reps.

How to do Cactus Arms Closed:

1. Stand tall with your arms out to your sides, palms facing forward, and elbows bent 90 degrees like a cactus.
2. Inhale, and bring your arms together, tucking your chin to your chest and rounding your back.
3. Exhale and open your arms and chest. That’s one rep. Do five reps.

Variation: This exercise can be done seated. It also can be done on all fours in a Cat-Cow variation, but if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, do only the Cow.

Love these exercises and want more? Try the 15-minute SilverSneakers LIVE Gentle Stretch Express class.

Pose #3: Figure Four With a Strap

Why it works: Bending forward activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the calming arm of your autonomic nervous system. This helps counter anxiety or stress that could be contributing to your headache.

You can see this pose demonstrated in the video below. It is Stretch #1. 

How to do it:

1. Sit with your legs stretched ahead. If it’s impossible to remain upright, shoulders over hips, sit on a block or cushion to slightly tilt your pelvis forward.
2. Bend your right leg and drop its knee to the right. Hold a strap at either end then wrap it around the ball of your left foot.
3. Inhale and lengthen the crown of your head away from your seat.
4. Exhale and hinge forward from your hips. Hinge only as far as you can while still keeping your chest open and your shoulders down.
5. Stay for as many breaths as feels comfortable, then switch sides.

Variation: If you don’t have a strap, place your hands just behind either hip. Press your fingers down to gain traction, tilting your torso forward and lengthening your spine.

Recommended reading:
Why Yoga Belongs in Your Healthy Aging Plan
5 Exercises for Healthy Shoulders
9 Yoga Moves to Ease Back Pain

See our sources:
Headaches and seniors: Mayo Clinic Proceedings
Types of headaches: Penn Medicine
Yoga and headaches: Journal of General Internal Medicine

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