The Effectiveness of Yoga and Meditation on the Intensity and Frequency of Headaches in the DHSP Bali Yoga Community
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46799/adv.v4i11.719Keywords:
yoga, meditation, headaches, NPRS, MIDAS scoresAbstract
Headaches, particularly migraine and tension-type headaches, are among the most prevalent neurological disorders worldwide and major contributors to disability, adversely affecting quality of life and productivity. Although pharmacological treatments are effective, prolonged or excessive use of certain medications may cause adverse effects and medication-overuse headaches, increasing interest in nonpharmacological interventions such as yoga and meditation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a three-month yoga and meditation program in reducing headache intensity, frequency, and related disability among members of the DHSP Bali Yoga Community. A prospective cohort study was conducted from April to September 2026, involving 33 participants aged 31–81 years who experienced headaches. Participants practiced yoga and meditation twice weekly for three consecutive months. Headache-related disability was assessed using the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire, while pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test in IBM SPSS Statistics, version 31.0. The participants' mean age was 57 years (SD = 11.15), and the mean baseline NPRS score was 2.91 (SD = 1.10). Before the intervention, 57.6% of participants experienced moderate headache-related disability, while 3.0% experienced severe disability. After three months, 66.7% reported no headache-related disability, and 30.3% reported mild disability. MIDAS scores decreased in 28 of the 33 participants, with a statistically significant overall reduction (p < 0.001). These findings suggested that practicing yoga and meditation twice weekly for three months was associated with reduced headache-related disability. Yoga and meditation may therefore serve as accessible, low-cost complementary approaches to headache management, although controlled studies are needed to establish their effectiveness in reducing headache intensity and frequency.
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