Headaches

During a headache yoga postures and pranayama can help alleviate pain and release tension and stress. Practice in a calming environment with low lights and soft music. Finish your yoga practice with shavasana using an eye pillow or folded small towel over the eyes. Start your shavasana with Dirga pranayama – slow deep breathing in the belly and chest.

Talk to your doctor if you are having more than 2-3 headaches per week, or if a bad headache lasts for several days. Migraines and cluster headaches can be helped with yoga, but you must have the supervision and approval of your doctor.

Yoga Postures
Yoga postures will release tension in neck and shoulders, increase circulation to head, stimulate the nervous system, and help alleviate pain.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
Calms the brain and rejuvenates tired legs.

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)
One of the most widely recognized yoga poses... an all-over, rejuvenating stretch.

Agnistambhasana (Fire Log Pose)
Stretches the outer hips intensely, particularly the piriformis, which is often the main culprit of sciatic pain.

Halasana (Plow Pose)
Plow Pose reduces backache and can help you get to sleep.

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose)
There are two interpretations of the Sanskrit Janu Sirsasana, Head-to-Knee and Head-of-the-Knee. The former emphasizes the forward bend. The latter refers to the "head" of the bent knee that you use press away from you to assist the forward bend.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Uttanasana will wake up your hamstrings and soothe your mind.

Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Savasana is a pose of total relaxation--making it one of the most challenging asanas.

Uttana Shishosana (Extended Puppy Pose)
A cross between Child's Pose and Downward Facing Dog. This pose lengthens the spine and calms the mind.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend)
A forward bend for all levels of students, Janu Sirsasana is also a spinal twist.

Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose)
Intensifies the stretch in the thighs and ankles of its upright version.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
Paschimottanasana can help a distracted mind unwind.

Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend)
The pose as described here is technically known as Prasarita Padottanasana I.


Pranayama
Use Dirga, Ujjayi and Nadi Sodhana Pranayamas to calm the mind, relax the body and to reduce stress.

Meditation
Meditation reduces stress, and calms the mind. Use one of the following by itself and/or at the beginning and end of your yoga practice: Yoga Meditation or Third Eye Meditation.