After teaching yoga for 20 years, in addition to low back pain, I can also say that probably in 4 out of 5 classes I teach, at least one person will share that they are experiencing head and neck pain. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic! For almost two years people have been working from home with improper ergonomics and slumping into their couches late at night. Nevermind the amount of tension and stress we all have these days that tends to go straight to our upper back and shoulders. I know when I sit at my desk too long, I start to feel my upper back ache and my neck hurt! We may not be able to reduce our stressors, but we can do something about the pain in our neck. Today I’m sharing how you can improve or even eliminate your head and neck pain with awareness, self care and specific yoga postures designed to rebalance your muscles.

Headaches are the worst.  And they usually show up at exactly the wrong time.  Even though there are so many types and tons of causes, headaches have one thing in common - they are unpleasant, extremely painful and can be down-right debilitating.  Thankfully the practice of mindfulness and yoga can help.  Whether it’s a specific movement or pose, simply breathing or practicing meditation, the practice of staying present allows you to reduce stress and tension in your body and mind, become more aware of what might be triggering your headaches (so that you can avoid those things in the future) and build resilience to life’s challenges so that you can handle difficult situations with more awareness, calmness and ease.  

Headaches are the worst. And they usually show up at exactly the wrong time. Even though there are so many types and tons of causes, headaches have one thing in common - they are unpleasant, extremely painful and can be down-right debilitating. Thankfully the practice of yoga can help. Whether it’s a specific movement or pose, simply breathing or practicing meditation, the practice of staying present allows you to reduce stress and tension in your body and mind, become more aware of what might be triggering your headaches (so that you can avoid those things in the future) and build resilience to life’s challenges so that you can handle difficult situations with more awareness, calmness and ease. Personally, when I have a headache, I find that my mind and body want to rest, which is why I turn toward restorative yoga postures to reduce the tension, stress and pain I’m experiencing. The below postures and techniques work really well for me and I hope they help you reduce your head pain and feel more at ease as well.

According to WebMD, about 80% of Americans experience a back problem at some point in their lives. And, according to the Journal of American Osteopathic Association, Americans spend $100 billion each year on low back pain alone. Yikes. After teaching yoga for 20 years, I can also add that probably in 9 out of 10 classes I teach, at least one person (if not more) will share that they are experiencing low back pain. And, let’s just add that low back pain is no joke! I personally know what it feels like to be stuck on the living room floor, unable to move thanks to back spasms. But the good news is that there is something we can do about it. Today I’m sharing how you can improve or even eliminate your low back pain with awareness, self care and specific yoga postures designed to rebalance your muscles.

Almost everyone is thrilled that nice weather has finally arrived. Everyone, it seems, except for our knees. As we get out and get moving, many people find knee pain common. If your knees hurt more getting off your bike, descending from a hike, or simply coming down stairs, you’ll be interested to learn how gentle thigh stretching can take the pressure off of your knees.