My Experience Doing Yoga with Migraine

By Lisa Robin Benson

1 min read

Last updated: June 2023

I started yoga before my migraine diagnosis and was worried that having migraine would prevent me from practicing. I share my journey with yoga and migraine in this video, plus some tips!

If you want to learn more, you can check out "5 Ways Yoga Can Help Migraine."

I'd love to hear how yoga has factored into your life with migraine! Comment below!

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Migraine.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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..... Member
Meditation and light yogahad made my migraines worse, it was like a trigger. 
1. Amanda Workman Moderator
 <inline-mention username="....." user-id="4872014"/> I am so sorry to hear that mediation and yoga made your migraines worse. Have you been able to find anything that has helped your migraines? Best wishes - Amanda W (team member)
Amanda Workman Moderator
Lisa, (For some reason I couldn't tag you) I actually have an extra thick and long mat from when I did Pilates all the time. I love it because it helps so much with the fibro body pain. I have never tried using the blocks. It sounds like I may need to look into getting some. I prefer to do it at home, to be honest. I like the no-pressure zone. Sometimes I feel pressured to do all the poses or for the full time when my body says not to if I am in a class. But you have a very valid point about occasionally going to a class in order to make sure your form is correct. 
1. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Amanda Workman" user-id="3715820"/>, Where did you find your mat? It sounds like something that Tom could use. Between PT for his back and neck and other gentle stretching exercises, it may work better than the bed or one of the thin mats. Warmly, Cheryl <a href='http://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> team
doxibug Member
Hello! I have been practicing yoga since I was 16 years old - I am now 57. I even did a teacher training and taught for about 12 years. I find yoga really helpful and important to my migraine management strategy. Doing a short (15-20 minute) yoga session is part of my morning routine -- it gets you in tune with how you feel, how your day is going to go, you pain levels, etc. The key really is to not overdo it. Some forms of yoga are really intense with a lot of up-and-down movement which can make migraines worse. It's very important to find a yoga practice that helps, not hurts, and this is a very individual thing. The great thing about yoga is that if there is something, a pose or movement, that doesn't feel right to you, then you simply don't do it. For people with tight upper back/shoulders/neck a regular gentle practice can really help IF you know what to avoid. Yoga helps you know your body so well that you are more in tune with your symptoms and you also are more likely to accept what is going on and treat yourself kindly. There are some great home practice videos on YouTube that will help people who don't want to commit to a one-hour class or who just want to try it out. I recommend Yoga with Adriene as a good starting point - she even has a "yoga for migraine" and "yoga for headache" practice - both short and gentle. Also - remember that yoga is just a part of a fitness routine. Not a substitute for strength training or cardiovascular exercise. More of a practice than an exercise. The meditation part of yoga also helps you make commitments to yourself, and makes you think about what you're feeling, what you're eating, what's going on. You just need to find the RIGHT yoga for YOU.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="doxibug" user-id="3869059"/> Wow- thank you so much for chiming in here with your well-earned wisdom and experience with yoga. I think many folks with migraine are intimidated by yoga because of the various downward positions that cause blood-flow to the head. I like the way you encourage folks to pick and choose what works for them and to use the practice as a way to check in and self-scan the body each day to check in with ourselves. Also grateful that you provided a resource to check out that is specifically tailored for migraine. I will check that out and I'm sure others will too! Grateful you took the time to share! What a very helpful post. We're blessed to have you with us. Please stay in touch! Warmly- Holly <a href='http://-migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>-migraine.com</a> team.

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