Yoga for dizziness
Finding stability when everything is spinning
Dizziness is one of the most common complaints in medical and therapeutic practice - and at the same time one of the most diffuse. It is often frightening for those affected: the ground seems to sway, the head becomes "empty", the body no longer feels reliable. Yoga can play a surprisingly effective role here - not as balance training in the sporting sense, but as a gentle path to greater inner and outer stability.
What is dizziness anyway?
Dizziness is not a disease, but a symptom that can arise from very different causes:
Vestibular (organ of balance in the inner ear) - e.g. benign positional vertigo, Menière's disease
Circulatory - e.g. low blood pressure, orthostasis
Neurological or muscular - e.g. for blockages in the cervical spine
Psychovegetative - e.g. for anxiety, panic or chronic stress
The latter in particular is often crucial: many patients report that their dizziness occurs primarily in emotionally stressful situations - in other words, when the autonomic nervous system is in a state of alarm.
How can yoga help with dizziness?
Yoga strengthens on several levels:
body perception (proprioception)
the vestibular system (vestibular integration)
the regulation of the autonomic nervous system
and trust in your own body
Not all dizziness can be "trained away" with yoga - but many forms can be positively influenced by replacing avoidance with mindful movement, regulating the breath and strengthening the experience of self-efficacy.
What is important when practicing yoga with dizziness?
1. safe positions close to the ground
Start sitting or lying down
Smooth transitions, no jerky straightening
Avoid overhead postures or twists at the beginning
2. breath awareness instead of breath control
Simple breath observation
Prolonged exhalation (e.g. 4-6 breathing rhythm)
Summation or gentle Ujjayi to calm down
3. body centering & grounding
Body scan, mindful standing ("Tadasana with inner alignment")
Carefully dose exercises with eyes closed
Balance training with wall or partner support
4. vegetative regulation & stress reduction
Yoga Nidra, restorative sequences, calm music
Integration of the topic "Safety in the body"
Vagus-activating exercises (e.g. gentle humming, eye movements)
Psychosomatic view: Dizziness as an expression of inner insecurity
Many clients with chronic dizziness have no clear medical diagnosis - instead, there are indications of constant stress, unconscious fears or emotional overload. Yoga can serve as a body-based resource here:
I don't have to push my dizziness away - I can learn to feel safe again.
Conclusion: Stability starts on the inside
Yoga for dizziness does not mean being particularly athletic or flexible. It means experiencing your own body again as an ally that can provide orientation and security - even when everything seems uncertain on the outside.
Training tip:
In our training course "Vegetative Regulation & Body Awareness", we show how yoga can be used in therapeutic work for functional complaints such as dizziness, exhaustion or vegetative dystonia.
👉 More information at: www.hockenholz.com