In this article, we listed the breathing exercise for headache that you can perform at home when headache suddenly strikes.
Among all the medical complaints and conditions an individual can feel, the most common ones are headaches. In fact, thousands of people experience it daily and this medical complain is already not new when it comes to sickness (or in the field of medicament) since almost half of the population of adults in the entire globe was confirmed to be experiencing headaches at any given year and time– that is according to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO).
What is a Headache?
Basically, from the word itself, headaches are those throbbing pain you feel in your head area. At some point, it can be a sign of stress including emotional and mental distress and disruption. If circumstances like these are left untreated and neglected, it may soon lead to medical disorders that can worsen the pain you are feeling. Some of the examples of these medical disorders that you are surely familiar with are migraine, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure.
If plain headaches lead to the ones mentioned above, it can be a great hindrance for you to achieve your goal or to accomplish your tasks in your everyday life. For instance, when you experience migraines, it could be hard for you to focus and attend to work or school. Not attending, of course, also has an impact on your part. Aside from that, if anxiety cripples on you, things would surely be hard for you to do since your emotions and thoughts are not on their proper conditions.
Breathing Exercise for Headache
As you grow older, you are more prone to headaches caused by stress and other medical discrepancies the body usually goes through. But worry no more! You can easily eradicate its painful and negative effect by just one simple routine which is through proper breathing. No money needed, less effort being demanded.
When you think of breathing you would say that it is just a usual inhaling and exhaling of air but there are actually breathing techniques that aim to improve various bodily functions. It would be better to perform these breathing strategies in a quiet and distraction-free environment, and in your most comfortable body position. You are not just trying to reduce the pain you feel from headache but this can also serve as meditation.
1. Deep Breathing
Step 1: Position both of your hands against your belly button, put your focus on that area.
Step 2: Inhale. Breathe in deeply using your nose, pull the air into the area where your belly is. Feel it expand as you fill your lungs with oxygen.
Step 3: Hold for 5 seconds, then slowly breathe out through your nose. This time, pull your belly in as you release the air.
Step 4: Do it for 5 to 10 times repetition and just relax.
NOTE: For every long slow breath (take your time and feel every second), you should feel more calm and relieved.
2. Rhythmic Breathing
This breathing is also suitable for those who are experiencing short and hurried breathing. To make the phase slow, you must perform the following:
Step 1: Breath in through your nose in a slow manner for 5 seconds. Relax.
Step 2: Breathe out through your nose also in a slow manner for 5 seconds. Relax.
Step 3: Repeat these steps until you feel yourself calming and achieve the normal phase for breathing.
3. Visualized Breathing
This breathing technique requires full peace of mind and your imaginative thoughts.
Step 1: Choose your most comfortable position and close your eyes. Breathe in a normal phase. As you do the breathing (always inhale through your nose), imagine a scenery or a situation where you find peace and calmness. For the majority, they just basically picture a calming air going in their lungs.
Step 2: As you fill up your lungs, you should feel your chest and belly expand. Visualize that you are breathing in more for additional relaxation.
Step 3: As you breathe out, picture yourself pushing the tension out right along as you do the exhaling. Repeat until you feel relaxed.
4. Cooling Breath
Step 1: Gently clench your teeth. While your lips are slightly open.
Step 2: Through your teeth, take a deep breath for 5 seconds and lift your chin up allowing the humid air rush over your teeth and tongue.
Step 3: Exhale through your nose slowly for 5 seconds while going back to the original position (lower your chin). Repeat for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Music Meditation
This technique is not always effective for everybody since some do not find calmness in music. However, if you do, this is helpful for you.
Step 1: Find a comfortable place where the ambiance is quiet and peaceful.
Step 2: Look for a song that is uplifting and those which put you in a peaceful and positive mindset.
Step 3: Choose breathing exercises mentioned above while you play these songs.
6. Roll Breathing
This is the type of breathing exercises that you can do in any position. It aims to help you strengthen the lungs and to practice the proper rhythm when breathing.
Step 1: You can do this exercise in any position but for headaches, you may lie on your back with your knees bent.
Step 2: Place your left hand on your belly and the right hand on your chest. Your attention should be focused on your hands as you breathe in and out.
Step 3: Inhale slowly until your lungs are full. Your left hand that is on the belly goes up as you fill your lungs with air while your right hand on the chest remains still. Do this breathing exercise for 10 times.
Step 4: For the second set, inhale in our lower lungs first before continuing to inhale on your upper chest. Make sure to breathe in slowly. Exhale slowly through your mouth while doing the whooshing sound quietly. You’ll notice that your left hand on the belly will fall first. If you do these breathing exercises properly, you will immediately feel that the tension will leave your body as you become more relaxed.
7. Lion’s Breath
Step 1: Sit comfortably. You can sit in your cross legs or in your back heels.
Step 2: Place your palm that is press against your knees with your fingers that are spread.
Step 3: As you inhale, make sure to open your eyes wide as well.
Step 4: While holding your breath, open your mouth widely, and stick out your tongue in your chin direction.
Step 5: As you exhale through your mouth, make a long “ha” sound. Do this 5 times.
Types of Headache
Headaches can attack and be felt on different sides and parts of your head. Lucky for you if you experience it in just one location, though. The International Headache Society (IHS) reiterated that there are two types and categories under headaches: Primary and Secondary. Primary is when the headache is just a headache alone which is not caused by another condition while Secondary headache occurs because of underlying causes and conditions.
- Primary Headaches. This type of headache is commonly caused by problems, overactivity, and when some parts of your central nervous system are stressed. The muscles, tissues, blood vessels, or even the nerves located in your head and around your neck are quite sensitive because they are the ones responsible for the sudden changes in the chemical activity happening in your brain. If there is a sudden change into the chemical composition of the brain, it results in cluster headaches, tension headaches, and migraines.
- Secondary Headache. This type of headache is a result of another medical condition. It happens when an underlying cause triggered the pain-sensitive nerves of your head. The most common reasons for secondary headaches are brain tumors, blood clots in the head, dehydration, panic attack, brain freeze, etc.
Tips To Avoid Headache
- Pay attention to food choices. There are certain food choices that trigger headaches such as chocolate, coffee, red wine, sweeteners, and cheese. If you notice that your headache is triggered by certain food, avoid consuming it.
- Always hydrate yourself. The most common reason for headaches is dehydration. Make sure to drink 8 glasses of water per day especially if you did a strenuous activity.
- Avoid stress. This is an unavoidable circumstance that is why it is ideal to learn some relaxation techniques such as yoga, and meditation. Doing some relaxation activities a couple of minutes a day help you avoid headaches and other bodily ailments.
- Get an appropriate amount of sleep. Too little or too much sleep causes headaches. There is a certain amount of sleep hour that a person feels comfortable, usually it is within 6-8 hours of sleep.
Final Thoughts
Through these breathing exercises, it may help you have a mental escape which may lead to the reduction of your stress and the headache you feel. Even though this medical condition is normal, it is still essential to seek medical advice if they become more severe. If a headache is getting painful day by day and disrupts you from functioning, a doctor should be contacted immediately.