Shannon (Toronto, On) on 12/19/2013:
Last night I was looking at a book I have about yoga and how specific poses/techniques can help with all sorts of issues such as infertility, depression and anxiety, back pain, low-libido, lack of confidence etc. I came across a breathing technique that claims to help with headaches and migraines. I happened to be reading this right before bed, and lo and behold I had a splitting tension headache in my left temple as soon as the lights went out. I was too tired/un-motivated to get out of bed to search for a pain-killer, so I decided I'd give little technique a shot. Well it worked! As soon as I was done the breathing exercise my headache had vanished and I felt more relaxed and ready to ease off to sleep. If you search online there are many different variations to the breathing technique, but this is what helped me:
- Cover your eyes with both hands and breathe very slowly/deeply for 5 breaths. In through nostrils and out through mouth, and concentrate on breathing.
- Next cover mouth with a hand, and breath deeply in and out through nostrils for five long breaths.
- Next cover your ears and do the same, in through the nose and out through the mouth for 5 breaths, always concentrating and breathing.
- Then move on to alternate nostril breathing. Block one nostril and breathe in with the other and out through the mouth for 5 breaths, and then switch sides.
I also did this in the comfort of my own bed with the lights off. When I was done headache was gone and I quickly dozed off to sleep.
Hope this helps someone else!
Mark (Melbourne, Australia) on 10/21/2011:
Sometimes solutions can be so simple. All you may need to do to relieve this may be to cup your hand gently over your nose and mouth and breathe gentle slow breaths for a few minutes... If this works you are habitually but mildly hyperventilating. Other times it could be a matter of drinking more water.
