Editors, writers, and others who spend long hours working at the computer seem particularly vulnerable to migraines and tension headaches. Perhaps more than any other group of people I know, editors frequently commiserate on Facebook about headache hell. Personally, I inherited a predisposition toward migraines from my mother and have suffered from them since I was fourteen. Although my headaches have abated recently, under severe stress I still sometimes get three-day episodes; these start on one side of the head and slowly migrate to the other, causing severe pain not just in my head but also in my eyes and jaw. Needless to say, it’s almost impossible to be happy or productive under such circumstances.

Several years ago, I attended a workshop on natural headache prevention and wrote an article about the techniques I gleaned. I’ve adapted the article for this blog and hope you’ll benefit from these suggestions I present below.

If your pain is caused by either muscular tension or blood vessel dilation—as in migraines—a daily exercise routine can alleviate existing headaches and prevent them from recurring. The routine is rooted in the principles of energy medicine, which postulates that energy must flow harmoniously within the body; if it fails to do so, pain and illness result. These exercises are designed to move around the stagnant energies that induce headaches.

For maximum benefits, perform them slowly and fluidly. Rushing through them or making sudden, jerky motions will diminish their effectiveness. You might even strain yourself in the process. Also breathe deeply and exactly as instructed. Let’s get started.

While in a comfortable sitting position, relax your shoulders. Tilt your head toward your right shoulder. (Do not bring your shoulder up toward your head.) Place your right palm on the right side of your head. Inhale as you press your hand and your head against each other for a few seconds. Exhale slowly while dropping your hand into your lap. Stretch your head further to the right, inhale, repeat the isometric press between your right hand and your head, and exhale as you let your hand drop. Stretch your head as far right as you can, and perform the sequence a third time. Finally, reach across your head with your right hand, resting it on your left ear. Allow the weight of your elbow to pull your head over further. Repeat the entire sequence on your left side.

Next, find the two indentations between the two ridges of the base of your skull; these indentations are known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as the headache points. When stimulated, they relieve pain. While tilting your head back, inhale and press your fingers into the headache points while pushing against your fingers with your head. Drop your hands into your lap while returning your head to an upright position. Exhale slowly through your mouth.

The next step takes some getting used to, and since you’ll look really silly doing it, you might feel more comfortable without an audience. Inhale through your mouth as you thrust your lower jaw out and pull it up toward your upper jaw. Now exhale and allow your jaw to relax. Repeat the inhalation and jaw-jutting exercise, and as you exhale, let your head drop toward your chest.

Now you’re in the home stretch. Inhale and press your fingertips up into the middle of your forehead while pushing your head down. As in the previous exercises, you’re pushing against yourself. Release your fingers as you exhale, and let your head drop down further. Repeat the inhalation, fingertip press, release, and exhalation before dropping your head further toward your chest again. Repeat the sequence a third time, and as you exhale, lock your fingers behind your head and gently pull your head down.

After performing this combination of simple isometric exercises and deep breathing, you’ll feel deeply relaxed. The exercises sweep away the cobwebs by removing energy blocks. You’ll feel refreshed and alert as energy begins to course freely through your body again. If you’re experiencing a headache before you start the exercises, it should start dissipating as you continue. Perform this easy sequence of exercises religiously every day, and you should find they go a long way toward alleviating your headaches.

Follow