Yoga can help reduce tension headaches and migraines in children by improving flexibility, posture, relaxation, and reducing stress and musculoskeletal tightness. Gentle yoga postures and breathing exercises may provide relief during headaches, while regular preventative practice can help address their underlying causes by balancing the mind and body. Postures and practices should be modified based on the type of headache and individual needs.

1. For children with migraines
and tension headaches

2. 
 People with headaches often have poor posture and
asymmetry between their left and right sides. This may lead
to increased difficulty with completely relaxing because of
headache pain.
 Headaches can be worsened by musculoskeletal tightness and
stress.
 Yoga helps balance the mind, body and spirit. It calms the
mind and helps one to relax. Yoga can improve flexibility,
posture, symmetry, and decreases musculoskeletal tightness.
 Doctors agree “this isn’t a do-two-sun-salutations-and-call-
me-in-the-morning situation”, it is an unfolding process that
will yield the most benefits from those who practice it
patiently over time.
Why is yoga helpful for headaches?

3. 
 Primary headaches are just headaches with no
medical cause. These are most common and include
migraine and tension headaches.
 Secondary Headaches are caused by another medical
condition which is rare. If a child has secondary
headaches, they should check with their doctor to
know what is appropriate.
Primary and Secondary Headaches

4. 
 Stress
 Backpacks
 Eye strain
 Devices
 Other triggers
Causes of Primary Headaches and
migraines in kids

5. 
 There are many differences, but for this context, it is
important to understand that:
“Unlike some forms of migraine, a tension headache usually
isn't associated with visual disturbances, nausea or vomiting.
Although physical activity typically aggravates
migraine pain, it doesn't make tension headache pain
worse. “
Tension headaches vs Migraines

6. 
 There are no absolute restrictions on any postures
that should be avoided during a tension headache.
Its up to the individual to get to know what doesn’t
feel good.
 In general, a complete gentle class is fine and can
often be helpful in getting rid of or lessening the
tension
Postures during tension headache

7. 
 Postures like forward fold (hold for 90 seconds or more) or downward
dog (with head on blocks if needed) may feel good. These can relax the
neck because of gentle tractioning qualities, let the head hang heavy.
 This is different for everyone, don’t do something that doesn’t feel
good.
 “Owl” and “Curious Dog” neck stretches, repeat each side 5-6 times,
moving with the breath.
 If it feels good, hold spots that need attention a bit longer but with
any neck stretches during a headache, do not hold for more than 5
breaths on each side at one time. Do not over stretch.
 Do not add any rotation of the neck, keep the movement steady.
Postures during tension headache
cont…

8. 
 Do not practice every day. Every other day is best.
Yoga is a strength building activity and its best to
give your muscles a chance to recover.
 To stay active, try to do at least 30 minutes of other
cardio exercise the other days (playing outside,
sports, riding bikes, swimming etc.)
Frequency of practice

9. 
 Arteries that feed the brain narrow temporarily due
to a variety of factors, stress and muscular tension.
 Next comes a sudden shift and the blood vessels
abruptly dilate, increasing the blood flow to the
head.
 If you can keep your body’s nervous system more
relaxed from day to day, the initial narrowing of the
blood vessels might be eliminated and the lessen the
chance/length/severity of a migraine
Migraine Specifics

10. 
 Foods: Alcohol (red wine), artificial sweeteners (like
NutraSweet), caffeine, citrus fruits, MSG (found in canned
foods, Chinese food, salad dressing), nitrates (found in
processed meats like deli meat, hot dogs), nuts, skipping meals
 Hormones: menstruation, ovulation, menopause, pregnancy,
birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy
 Lifestyle: stress, changes in sleep pattern (not keeping a regular
sleep schedule), dehydration, lack of exercise
 Environmental: bright or flickering lights, high altitudes, strong
odors (perfumes or cleaning agents), tobacco smoke, weather
changes
Migraine Triggers

11. 
 Unlike tension headaches, a migraine can be
worsened by certain activities
 In general, a rigorous practice should be avoided
during a migraine, however some gentle postures
can help
 Do not let the head fall below the heart in any
posture during a migraine
Postures during a migraine

12. 
 Legs up the wall
 Keep back flat on the floor and neck and shoulders relaxed
 Childs pose with head on block or bolster
 Keep head above or even with the heart, arms down by the side,
shoulders draping over the knees
 Childs pose in chair
 Sitting in a chair with feet flat on the floor (use a foot stool or stack
of books to keep knees at 90 degrees and feet flat. Rest head at a
comfortable height on a table (including something to raise the
head slightly, block, books, etc), arms down by the sides, hanging
heavy
 Stay in your favorite restorative posture for 5-10 minutes
With a migraine, one often wants to lay in bed but this often leads to tensing the body
more by curling up and thinking about the pain. These restorative postures can be
relaxing and distracting
Postures during a migraine
cont…

13. 
 Any type of hatha or gentle vinyasa yoga practice
can be beneficial to reducing headaches and
migraines in kids
 A regular class for children should be in a
comfortable, safe and fun atmosphere
 Class should include lots of head, face, neck,
shoulder stretching and strengthening with a good
balance of the rest of the body
Preventative practice

14. 
 Pranayama practices such as 1:2 ratio breathing (the
inhalation is 1/2 the length of the exhalation) or
gradual lengthening of both inhale and exhale
equally are great beginning breath practices to try.
 Alternate nostril breathing to calm nervous system
 Lion’s breath to stretch facial muscles and release
tension
Pranayama

15. 
 The eyes were not made to do extensive close work
but now, almost all of our processing is happening at
a near distance, and that puts extra strain on eye
muscles.
 Four good eye exercises https://yogainternational.com/article/view/4-yoga-
exercises-for-eye-strain
 Palming
 Eye Rolling
 Focus Shifting
 Distance Gazing (most effective)
Focus on eyes