How to “breathe out” a headache: 5 effective exercises

If you feel a headache, do not rush to grab the pills. First, pay attention to your breathing. Changing it will be the best medicine.

Our emotions often interfere with our breathing. For example, some people hold their breath and exhale in a high voice. Others, on the contrary, sigh, speak in a thin voice. Both of these are fundamentally wrong. Tune in to proper breathing. Simple relaxing breathing exercises will help with this, which will help to cope with the headache that has overtaken.

Breathe like a yoga: deep and slow

Exercise No. 1. Rhythmic breathing. If your breathing is short and fast, slow it down by taking a long, slow breath.

• Slowly inhale while mentally counting to five. And then, in the same way, slowly exhale, paying attention to how your body naturally relaxes.

Exercise #2. Deep breathing. Mentally imagine a point below the navel. Try to breathe it, filling your stomach with air from top to bottom, like a balloon. 

• With each long, slow exhalation, you will feel more relaxed.

Exercise #3. Visualize the breath. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and combine slow breathing with imaginary pictures. Such relaxation will allow you to get rid of tension.

• Breathe deeply, but at a natural pace. Imagine how you inhale the fragrance of rare flowers: the nostrils begin to tremble, the air easily enters the lungs, expanding the chest and filling the stomach. Exhaling, imagine how you get rid of internal tension.

Use relaxation to relieve muscle tension

Exercise No. 4. Muscle relaxation. Take a few deep breaths, exhale slowly. Mentally scan your entire body. Relax those areas of the body that are most tense.

• Make a couple of circular movements with your head. Move your shoulders back and forth so that the muscles are completely relaxed. Take another deep breath and exhale slowly. This will help get rid of the headache.
• Play soothing or relaxing music for complete relaxation.

Exercise #5: Mental Relaxation or Guided Imagination is a proven method of purposeful relaxation that helps  create harmony between mind and body. Imaginary images help to tune in to the positive and remove the negative, which is often a source of pain.

• Determine for yourself the origin of the headache. Perhaps it is caused by overstrain, increased emotionality, anxiety.

Use those affirmations that will help you resist negative thoughts and set yourself up for positive.