Head throbbing. Vision blurring. Stomach in knots.
You know the signs. For the millions of us living with migraine disease, they’re the heralds of a lost day.
Migraines are not just bad headaches. They are debilitating neurological storms. We spend months—sometimes years—huddled in dark rooms, chugging meds and waiting for the pain to recede. It steals time. It steals comfort.
“Migraine is a brain disease,” says Dr. Teshamae Monteith. “A neurological disease.”
It affects 15 percent of people in the US. Globally? Over one billion.
Triggers are everywhere. Genetics. Hormones. Stress. The weather.
“We often think of yoga as a physical workout. For migraines, it is about regulating the nervous system.”
So, is there relief?
Enter yoga.
Not the sweat-drenched power class. Not the pretzel-folding gymnastics. But a meditative practice aimed at calming the very nerves that might be screaming.
A 2020 trial in India looked at this directly. 80 people got standard care. Another 80 added three to five sessions of yoga therapy a week. After three months? The yoga group reported less frequent headaches. And less intensity.
It worked. But how?
Dr. Deena Kuruvilla recommends it to patients as prevention. It activates the parasympathatic system. The rest-and-digest network. The vagal tone. Essentially? It tells your brain to stop panicking.
Rebecca Trussell, a somatic yoga therapist, focuses on internal sensation. She teaches that feeling the body differently can interrupt the pain loop.
Here is what that actually looks like. No inversions. No holds. Just gentle movement.
The Gentle Routine
Trussell suggests a specific sequence. Do these two to three times a week. Consistency matters more than intensity.
1. Soma Scan (Corpse Pose)
Lie flat. Back. Legs. Shoulders. Press into the floor.
Breathe.
Notice where you hurt. Notice where you touch the earth. Stay here for two to three minutes. Return to this spot after every other move to check your baseline.
2. Arch & Flatten
Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Keep your natural spine curve.
Slowly arch your lower back. Lift away from the floor. Drop your shoulders and hips slightly. Hold.
Now, press your lower back gently into the mat. Feel a tiny bit of belly tension. Release.
Do this slowly. Five-second counts. It is foundational. Low effort. High awareness.
3. Arch & Curl
Still on your back. Hands interlaced behind your head.
Arch. Press your head into your palms. Press your elbows down. Release.
Now, lift your elbows to the ceiling. Round your shoulders. Lift the shoulder blades slightly. Lower your head. Elbows point. Spine neutral. Relax for five.
Repeat, but sweep elbows left. Then right.
You might feel jerky. That’s fine. Just notice it.
4. Washrag (Windshield Wipers Variation)
Lie on your back. Arms up like a cross, elbows over shoulders, fingers to the sky.
Drop your right palm down. Drop the back of your left hand down. Fingertips opposite.
Tilt knees to the right. Keep feet wide.
Turn head left. Press left shoulder down. Lift right shoulder just a millimeter.
Hold. Release slowly. Neutralize for five seconds.
Switch sides. Check your arm range of motion afterwards. Does it feel freer?
When Pain Strikes
During an attack, you enter the “postdrome” phase. The migraine hangover.
Your body has been bracing. Tight. Wary.
5. Somatic Neck Release
Sit.
Turn head all the way left. Then right. Notice the stops. The tight spots.
Face forward. Drop ear toward shoulder on the tight side. Use only 20-30 percent effort. Do not pull.
Keep that shoulder planted. Lift your chin toward the ceiling slowly.
Drop shoulder down as head returns to center.
Repeat.
What To Skip
High intensity is out.
Avoid vinyasa flows. Avoid hot yoga. Avoid anything fast or forceful.
“I would be gentle,” Trussell says.
Dr. Kuruvilla is stricter: skip the neck manipulations.
No headstands.
No extreme bends.
Why? The nerve fibers driving the migraine are in the neck and head. Agitate them, and you invite more pain.
“It’s not about curing it instantly. It is about management.”
How long before you see a difference?
Twelve weeks. Minimum.
It is a long game. Not a quick fix. It does not replace your medication.
Dr. Kuruvilla calls it a “three-legged stool.”
- Prevention (lifestyle/yoga).
- Abortive medication (when it hits).
- Integrative care (holistic support).
Yoga fills that third leg. And the first.
Is it immediate relief? No.
Is it reasonable? Yes.
Dr. Monteith notes the online resources available today make it easier than ever to start.
It comes down to regularity. Commitment. A daily vote for wellness, even if the world is trying to give you a headache.
