Headstand is King of the Asanas – but is it for everyone?

Sirsansana (Headstand) is described as King of the Asanas. An absolute essential for the serious Yoga practitioner. Is this really the case or should we take a more cautious approach to this inversion?

At some point everyone who has practiced Yoga reaches their nemesis. Mine is Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana). I can’t do Padmasana (Lotus Pose) but Supported Headstand is the only pose which has ever actually made me cry with frustration (in the middle of my teacher training)!

I’m able to practice Tripod Headstand (with hands and head making a tripod) but wanted to be able to do the supported version (with forearms on the floor and the hands cupping the back of the head). This led to many years of experimenting and dissecting the pose until I could finally achieve it. But why did I go to those lengths? What’s so special about this pose? Is it just an Insta thing?

Why practice Sirsansana?

Headstand (supported and tripod) is said to have a long list of benefits for mind and body – many of which can’t be proven.

The widely claimed benefits for Headstand are:

Musculoskeletal
The pose does require and build core and upper body strength. Bearing weight does increase bone mass in the cervical vertebrae and skull.

Respiratory
There is no evidence to support enhanced lung capacity.

Cardiovascular
The brain is capable of getting sufficient blood flow, no matter what position we are in, so circulation is not improved by being inverted.

Lymphatic
The lymphatic system does an excellent job of moving lymph around our bodies, so for most people the lymphatic system won’t be improved. For those with swelling in the legs and feet, elevating them may provide some relief.

Nervous
There is no evidence to suggest that Sirsasana calms the brain or has any effect on the nervous system, either during practice or long-term.

Digestive
Being inverted doesn’t clear out our digestive system, release trapped wind or improve absorption of nutrients. People with digestive issues (such as gastritis or indigestion) may actually feel worse.

Endocrine
There is no evidence to support that the pituitary and pineal glands are activated during inversion – these glands are operate whatever position we are in.

Reproductive (menopause)
Menopause can bring loss of bone density, increases in heart disease and high blood pressure, headaches, migraines, hot flushes and anxiety. This means that reduction in menopausal symptoms is unlikely and this is pose may well be contra-indicated.

Proprioception (awareness of the body in space)
Being inverted can challenge your connection with the space around you, so this could help develop a greater awareness. 

Other
Improved vision, prevention of headaches, boosted energy and reduction in fatigue, increased confidence and different perception of the world are all subjective and there is no evidence to support them. Many people find that inversions can trigger headaches.

Subtle energy
This pose stimulates the Crown Chakra.

Beauty benefits
An ever-increasing list of beauty benefits to skin, hair, etc. based on pseudo-science and feeding the ego. They have no evidential basis and nothing to do with the purpose of practicing yoga!

Is it safe?

This pose carries risks and is definitely not for everyone.

The list of contra-indications I run through before teaching Headstand is lengthy. As many students will listen to ego and try it (even though they shouldn’t), I only ever teach it to students I know well. It’s also not something I teach online, as I like to be able to support and monitor students closely.

The contra-indications for Headstand are:

Musculoskeletal
Osteoporosis, whiplash and other injuries and conditions in the head, neck, back and shoulders.

Cardiovascular
Blood pressure in the upper body is increased during inversion. For those with high blood pressure this could mean their pressure increases substantially. People with low blood pressure, may feel faint when coming out of the pose and sitting up. People with heart conditions should also avoid this pose.

Reproductive (menstruation and pregnancy)
Menstruation is not a contra-indication, despite claims about menstrual flow somehow working it’s way back to the fallopian tubes – this does not happen! Pregnancy can affect blood pressure and balance so it’s not advisable to practice Headstand.

Eye issues
Pressure in the eyes is increased when inverted (see section on Glaucoma below) so this pose should be avoided by people who have glaucoma, detached retina and other eye conditions.

Other
Headaches, migraine, toothache, ear, throat or sinus infection, tinnitus, epilepsy or seizures. As blood pressure is raised in the upper body, any painful sensations in the upper body will increase.

Headstand and Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition where the pressure in the eyes (intra-ocular pressure) is raised. Sirsasana is contra-indicated for those who have glaucoma as intra-ocular pressure doubles for the duration of the pose.¹ However, the studies that have been conducted into the effects of Yoga poses on intra-ocular pressure don’t appear to show any residual raised pressure once the pose is finished.^1,2

So is it worth doing for its assumed benefits? The answer is probably not – however I know some Yoga practitioners love it and will possibly be fine continuing to practice it. For many people, the benefits of this pose do not outweigh the risks in practicing it, so other poses which are safer (such as Viparita Karani or Legs up the Wall) should be considered.

Intention is important

I realise now that my desperation to achieve this pose came from a place of low self-esteem.

All the other Yoga Teachers I knew could do Salamba Sirsanana – except me of course.

My intention for doing the pose was the wrong one. Yoga is a practice of inward reflection but I was looking at everyone else around me and comparing myself.

“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.“

– Zen Chin

Fear also played a part in reinforcing my negative thoughts towards the pose. Strangely I wasn’t afraid of falling over, I was afraid of getting a migraine. 

Being inverted has triggered my migraines at times and the sensation of increased pressure in my head reminds me of the sensations which sometimes occur when I get them. I suspect I’m always carrying this fear with me subconsciously and this springs to mind as soon as I’m inverted.

So why continue to try? I wanted to share the wonderful floating and freeing sensation which those who love headstands say they experience. Who wouldn’t want to try and achieve that?

My Salamba Sirsasana experience

My parents often recount a story of me learning to ride a bike – I refused help and wouldn’t even allow them to watch me try. I spent hours in the garden and eventually managed to achieve my goal – at the expense of my battered and bruised legs!

I realised that my Supported Headstand journey was going to be the same – hopefully without the injuries! I spent hours deconstructing the pose, building it up, watching tutorials and experimenting with variations. I also looked at my own body and noticed that:

• I don’t have long limbs and a short torso – in fact I have the opposite and this affects the support my arms can give and the angle of my body
• My upper arms in the correct position, are not long enough to touch the floor beyond my head (the arms are supposed to take the weight off the head). A workaround for this is to push the arms more into the floor by elevating the shoulder blades. Unfortunately this triggers pain in my shoulders and requires far more strength than it would do for a person with longer arms!
• I have short legs (when compared to my torso), which means I can’t walk my feet in close enough to create sufficient leverage to lift them off the ground

Add to all of the above my aforementioned migraine-trigger fear… and well you get the picture, this really wasn’t the pose for me!

Inversion tips for Yoga Teachers!

– Provide plenty of props and options so that all students can experience a safe inversion or alternative

– Encourage students to put ego aside and ensure they are staying within the bounds of their own anatomy, physiology and emotional state

– Don’t ever make students feel like they must practice inversions (or other challenging poses) to become an experienced Yoga practitioner – this is not determined by the poses someone can do!

Prop it!

I love to find a solution to a problem – so I decided to look into the wonderful world of props for inspiration.

My solution was to use a blanket and block – the options below can be used separately depending on your needs:

• A folded blanket under the elbows provides extra length to the upper arms
• Blocks (or a chair) can lengthen the legs by lifting the feet

I also adapted my technique when entering the pose:

• Bringing the elbows closer together increases the height of the support given by the arms
• Taking one leg at a time in the air was easier for me as it changed my centre of gravity towards the back of my body before the second leg lifted off

The results…

Reality check

Your unique anatomy may have an effect on your Yoga poses.

There is no perfect body and there is no perfect way of practicing a pose!

If a pose doesn’t work for you, that’s fine – either modify it, use props or try something else!

When you can’t do (or don’t want to do) Sirsasana

My favourite inversion to teach is Dolphin. It’s great for building shoulder strength, there are multiple variations to try (including some challenging versions) and it can be modified easily for most students.

Hare pose is a safer way of connecting the crown of the head with the floor. Half-headstand can also be an option – connecting the head to the floor without lifting the feet.

One of my favourite props is the FeetUp stand. This can be used to do a full Yoga practice including inversions. There’s less pressure in the head and there are lots of fun flows and variations you can try.

Finally, your practice is yours – don’t allow yourself to think you should be doing a pose just because someone told you it’s essential. If you want to take another option, a good teacher will support you in doing this and will encourage you to practice in your own way.

Want to find out about more Yoga poses?

I’ve written several blogs about poses – you can browse through them on my blog page or click on the links below:

Taking flight in Crow Pose

Lotus Pose – for the wise or not

Taking a sideways look at life in Side Plank Pose

Standing strong in Triangle and Warrior poses

Exploring EPK 1

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Further reading

Your Spine, Your Yoga: Developing stability and mobility for your spine by Bernie Clark

The Physiology of Yoga by Andrew McGonigle and Matthew Huy

Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews

References

1. Mani Baskaran et al. Intraocular pressure changes and ocular biometry during Sirsasana (headstand posture) in yoga practitioners. Ophthalmology. 2006 Aug;113(8):1327-32.
2. Jessica V. Jasien et al. Intraocular Pressure Rise in Subjects with and without Glaucoma during Four Common Yoga Positions. PLoS One. 2015; 10(12): e0144505.