Exercises to Relieve Migraines

Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on November 03, 2021
Written by Martin Taylor
2 min read

Migraines can come on suddenly and be triggered by something unknown, although they're known to be influenced by stress, bad posture, and poor sleep. When a migraine occurs, you’ll want to relieve the tension in your neck muscles. For this, there are stretches you can do at your desk, at home, or anywhere you can sit or lie down. If you're able to catch your migraine early, try these neck stretches to relieve the pain before it becomes too severe. 

This neck stretch gently flexes your front and back neck muscles and can help relieve tension in your jaw and neck. To start: 

  • Get into position by sitting upright. 
  • Gently tilt your head forward to bring your chin down toward your chest. 
  • Once you’ve brought your chin down as far as it can comfortably go, pause. 
  • Tilt your head back. 
  • Extend your chin out and up toward the ceiling. 
  • Once your chin is as far up as it can comfortably go, pause and repeat.

Avoid moving your neck beyond your comfort limits to avoid further strains.

This stretch is a little more involved and may require more time to achieve a deeper stretch. In some cases, one side may be able to stretch further than the other side — this is normal. To start: 

  • Sit upright in a chair.
  • Place one hand on the seat to hold yourself in place. 
  • Reach your other hand across your head to the opposite side of your face. 
  • Use this hand to assist in gently tilting your head toward your shoulder. 
  • Make sure to tilt your head away from the hand that’s holding the chair. 
  • You’ll feel the stretch on the side of your neck. 
  • Hold for 30 seconds. 
  • Repeat on the other side.

You’ll notice that the more you do the stretch, the further you can pull your head to each side. 

When you start feeling a migraine coming on, you should try the recovery pose, which helps relieve the tension in your neck. To do this: 

  • Lie on your back and bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor.
  • Bring your hands together behind your head and neck. 
  • Let your elbows relax toward the floor. 
  • When you feel a slight stretch, pause and focus on your breathing. 
  • Hold this position for one to two minutes, or as long as it’s comfortable. 
  • Lift your elbows to break. 
  • Repeat as necessary. 

The recovery pose can help reduce the intensity and duration of your migraine attacks.