How Yoga Can Help Reduce Headaches and Facial Tension

Headaches and facial tension are more than just occasional discomforts—they can disrupt daily life, make focusing difficult, and reduce overall wellbeing. While these issues can have a variety of causes, many of them are linked to muscular tension, stress, and misalignment in the neck and jaw. Yoga offers subtle yet effective ways for tension release and return to a relaxed state.

Here at Temple Yoga in Bondi Beach, we notice students walking through our doors seeking relief—not only from tightened hamstrings or back problems, but tension that finds its way into the shoulders, the neck, and even the face. Fortunately, yoga has a long-standing history of treating the body as an integrated system, providing practices that calm physical tension as much as mental tension.

Understanding Facial Tension and Headaches

Facial tension often builds without us even realising. A clenched jaw during the workday, furrowed brows while concentrating, or tight lips in moments of stress all contribute to long-term muscular holding patterns in the face. This can cause tension headaches, jaw pain, and pain in the eyes or temples over time.

These are not always the consequence of sickness or dehydration but can be triggered by habitual clenching, shallow breathing, or even postural strain. For example, when the neck is out of alignment, it can put extra strain on the muscles that attach to the back of the head, causing dullness or throbbing headache.

The Role of Yoga in Releasing Tension

Yoga's integration of mindful movement, mindful breathing, and relaxed stretching can be extremely helpful in dissolving deeply embedded tension. The physical positions, or asanas, work to open the chest, stretch the neck, and release accumulated constriction in the shoulders—areas directly related to facial muscles.

Breathwork, or pranayama, is another key practice. Many people don’t realise how often they hold their breath or breathe shallowly throughout the day. By learning to breathe deeply and fully, the body activates its relaxation response, softening both the face and the nervous system. This can result in reduced tension in the jaw, a decrease in stress headaches, and an overall greater sense of calm.

Meditation, when added on as a post- or pre-yoga activity, also plays its part. Through bringing attention inside and relaxing the body fully, meditation has the ability to silence mental chatter—exactly that which frequently locks the brow tight and the jaw clenched.

Poses That Gently Unwind the Face and Head

Certain yoga poses are especially helpful for reducing head and facial tension. These poses aren't energetic or aggressive—they invite slow, precise movement.

• Child's Pose (Balasana) allows for the forehead to rest on the block or mat, soothing the nervous system and facilitating a release in the facial muscles.

• Supported Fish Pose serves to open up the chest and relax the neck, combating hours of forward-head posture typical of office work.

• Neck rolls and seated twists increase circulation and relieve compression of the cervical spine, which often is a cause of headaches.

The key to these practices is consistency and gentleness. Yoga isn’t about forcing the body into shapes—it’s about creating space and awareness, and that includes the subtle regions of the head and face.

The Mind-Body Link

Stress often shows up in the body before we’re even aware of it. The jaw, in particular, is a common holding area for unspoken tension, anxiety, and frustration. Yoga offers a pathway to reconnect with our bodies and to notice where we’re storing stress. By bringing awareness to those areas and learning to soften them, we reduce the physical symptoms and also begin to shift our emotional response to daily stressors.

Interestingly, some individuals who suffer from chronic jaw tension or recurring headaches may also consult with a Perth orthodontist or the like in order to resolve underlying dental or structural issues. But while orthodontic work helps to facilitate physical alignment, yoga assists by working with the emotional and muscular patterns underlying the issue. Both approaches can complement each other to enable greater ease and well-being.

A Practice to Support Everyday Life

Yoga doesn't have to be complicated in order to work. A couple of minutes a day spent watching the breath, flowing through gentle stretches, or even relaxing in a restorative pose can make a tremendous difference. With time, these practices recondition the nervous system to move away from fight-or-flight and towards balanced, calm awareness.

Whether you're working with tense shoulders, tight jaws, or a cloudy mind, yoga provides gentle yet potent assistance. As you move onto the mat and start to release, you might notice that your face relaxes, your head clears, and your entire body begins to feel more relaxed.

Ready to let go of facial tension and find a greater feeling of calm? Book a yoga class with us at Temple Yoga and start your path toward relaxation.