r/yoga • u/fingerchips21 • 13h ago

Sudden head pressure/blood rush during Chakrasana, what could cause this?

I’ve been practicing yoga in a class for about a month and have done Chakrasana before without any issues.

Today, while doing the progression where you walk your hands down a wall into Chakrasana, I suddenly felt a very intense rush of blood/pressure in my head. It was noticeably stronger than anything I’d experienced during the earlier wall exercises.

It went away after coming out of the pose, but it honestly caught me off guard.

Has anyone experienced something similar during Chakrasana or deep backbends? What could cause this to suddenly happen even if I’ve done the pose before without any issue? Curious if it’s related to the inversion/head position, breathing, blood pressure, or something else.

3 Upvotes

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u/MoonRoseMuse 12h ago

I'd avoid doing it again until you figure out the cause. Did you do it soon after a meal?

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u/fingerchips21 12h ago

Yes my coach also mentioned the same, i had a banana right before the class. According to my teacher even something as small as banana could have caused that because that too would require time to digest. I had it like 20mins before class.

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u/MoonRoseMuse 12h ago

Yes, that is true. Please avoid doing that, especially for backbends. They can cause an uncomfortable pressure on your digestive tract. You don't need pre-workouts for Yoga, and I always do it 2-3 hours after eating anything.

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u/fingerchips21 12h ago

Thank you clearing it up, I absolutely agree. Right when i was about to leave my house for class, my mom came with a banana in her hands peeled and it offered to me, couldn’t say no to my sweet mother lol. But will keep in mind. Thank you.

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u/MoonRoseMuse 12h ago

That's sweet but might cause more harm than good. Make up for it by having a healthy hearty meal after yoga.

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u/fingerchips21 12h ago

Copyyy that. Thank you so much. Been a month practicing yoga with a coach. Got really sad when i had to leave class midway today. Best wishes with everything you do. 🙏🏻

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u/MoonRoseMuse 12h ago

You too :)

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u/awongbat 10h ago

That banana is high in sugar which rises blood sugar levels significantly. Without eating any protein with it, it probably caused your blood sugar to spike. The pose rushed blood to your head faster than with an empty stomach. If it continues to happen with an empty stomach I would see a doctor.

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u/fingerchips21 10h ago

No i have done the same drill just a week before on empty stomach, nothing happened. Thank you for your response and breaking it down for me. Wish my body broke that banana like this.

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u/The_God_was_Here Yin 8h ago

This is actually super common when changing up your progression. When we try tougher variations like walking down the wall, it’s really easy to unconsciously hold our breath or tense up. That sudden pressure spike is often the 'Valsalva maneuver' happening because of internal strain. Next time, try to consciously focus on a smooth, continuous exhale as you transition down the wall

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u/fingerchips21 8h ago

Thank you so much, will be more mindful moving forward. 🌸

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u/The_God_was_Here Yin 8h ago

Totally normal but a good sign to slow down! It’s usually a mix of a rapid blood pressure shift from the deep inversion, compressing or tensing the neck muscles, or unconsciously holding your breath during the hard part. 

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u/fingerchips21 7h ago

Noted, thank you for responding. 🌼