Yoga Therapy : Head Rush/Light-headedness
Getting a little dizzy while practicing yoga isn’t uncommon and it can send alarm bells ringing for new students but the majority of the time it is no cause for alarm. However, if you regularly experience light-headedness, you should get the green light from your GP. We move in and out of poses during a yoga practice, and many of these include forwards folds where you allow your head to move below your heart.
Two of the most practiced yoga forward folding poses are uttanasana and prasarita padottanasanna and initially when you move forward , you will feel the blood flowing into your head, warming up your face and ears, resulting in a hot tingly feeling and then after a while, a sense of relaxation. On some days, when you inhale while lifting your head to fully stand up, you feel slightly off balance and dizziness. This is a common feeling of head rush.
There is a scientific reason for a head rush. When you move into a forward fold, the head moves below the heart and closer to the floor increasing upper body vasodilation(blood vessels wide, which reduces blood pressure) and possible venous compression around the pelvis. When you release from the pose, the sudden pressure can cause dizziness. As a Yoga therapist I would like to share six yoga therapy tips to ensure that you will continue to enjoy your yoga practice for many years to come.
- Eat a small meal before starting your yoga practice.
- Drink water an hour before your practice especially before an early morning practice.
- Move out of your forwards folds slowly and never hold your breath.
- Pause half way on the way back up and squeeze into your calf muscles, this encourages the blood to leave the head and move to the lower body .
- If you are a yoga novice, avoid moving into the full pose, but place your hands onto your hips and move half ways and enjoy the main action of the asana – strengthening of the legs.
- Be willing to slow things down and enjoy where your body will allow you to go in any particular day.
Please note that the above are guide lines but if you suffer from high or low blood pressure, always contact your GP before committing to a yoga class or any other physical activity . 
My name is Paulette Egan and I was first introduced to Yoga while trekking in Nepal twenty five years ago. Yoga has become a lifestyle for me and as a Yoga Therapist, I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge of how Yoga Therapy may help you. On a more exciting note, My daughter and I have just launched our own range of lifestyle and fitness clothes. The first Irish yoga brand so Show them how great you are with I-SPY Clothing !!
I can highly recommend Yoga Therapy Ireland if you are interested in training to become a yoga teacher and they run excellent workshops throughout the year. Namaste Paulette
« Sun Salutation for Golfers I-SPY Clothing win first prize at Limerick Start-up Weekend. »
