This article first appeared The Frontiersaman  on April 5, 2007 Are you one of the 45 million people who suffer from headache pain?  Headaches are triggered by many factors; including diet, shallow breathing, emotional issues, dental problems, from injuries, and poor postural alignment. Pain is how our body communicates to us that something is out of balance.  When we ignore our body’s language, the pain speaks louder.  This article will focus on what often triggers headaches, and how restorative yoga, coupled with breathing techniques and relaxation can be used to augment headache pain relief.  According to Thomas Brofelt, M.D., of California’s Davis Medical Center, 75 percent of all headaches arise from tense muscle in the neck, due to poor postural alignment.  A slumped posture causes the shoulders to round, as well as the upper back, which in turn causes the head to thrust forward.   In a balance posture, the ears will line up over the center of the shoulder.  Consider that the average head weighs anywhere from 12 to 15 pounds.  For every inch the head is held forward, another 12-15 pounds of tension are imposed on the supporting neck muscles.  “Ouch”!  No wonder our neck and shoulders muscles get tense after leaning over the computer all day. This tension can radiate referred pain to the forehead, the jaw, and behind the eyes.   Eventually, if these chronically overworked muscles in the back of the neck don’t get relief, they become fatigued and go into spasm.  Brofelt compares this to a “charley horse” and says that just as we would stretch out a calf muscle in spasm, we need to stretch the “headache muscles” to bring relief.    Restorative yoga poses incorporates the use of props, which passively supports the weight of the head and body.  When the weight of the head is off set, the neck muscles have an opportunity to relax and calm down.  Different poses lengthen the spine, open the chest and encourage deeper, relaxed breathing, which pacifies the nervous system.  The right sequence of poses is important; seek advice from a qualified yoga instructor well versed in therapeutic yoga. If you find you’re self at work with a headache, try this; Use a sweater or coat folded up, to act as a pillow, placed on your desk, for your head to rest upon.  In a seated position, bend forward from the hips, with your feet flat on the floor, resting your head on the pillow.  Relax your shoulders away from the ears, letting your whole body feel supported. Close your eyes, and for the next 5-10 minutes focus on expanding the breath into the back of your body, notice the tension begin to melt away.  Breathing:  Headache sufferer often experience shallow upper chest breathing which exacerbates pain.  This can lead to unconscious hyperventilating.  The next time you feel a headache coming on, it is important to pay attention to how you are breathing.   Slowly, begin to deepen the exhalation, letting facial muscles soften, especially the jaw, tongue and throat.   Next, bring the head into balance and relax the shoulders and belly.   Focus on the feeling of your belly moving in and out as you breathe. Reclined Relaxation Pose using a 3 inch Ace Bandage:  BKS Iyengar, world renowned yoga teacher, suggested wrapping a 3 inch ace bandage snuggly, but not tight, around the head, covering the eyes and ears.  This relaxes the facial muscles.  Make sure to remove contacts lenses first.  Stack several blankets to elevate the chest and head 3-4 inches, placing a small pillow under the head. As you breathe, observe muscle relaxation in the toes, and work your way systematically up the body.  Yoga is a time honored practice of body awareness that teaches proactive measures to reduce your headaches.  A regular yoga practice helps reestablish the natural curves of the spine, and strengthen the postural muscles needed for correct alignment.  Yoga also encourages healthy breathing patterns, which will relax the nervous system and calm the mind.