The True Benefits of Headstand: What Headstand Taught Me About Myself

According to B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga, the headstand is the king of all asanas, offering a wealth of physical and mental health benefits.

He writes:

“Regular practice of Sirsasana (headstand) makes healthy pure blood flow through the brain cells. This rejuvenates them so that thinking power increases and thoughts become clearer. This asana is tonic for people whose brains tire quickly.”

Iyengar also lists a range of conditions that can improve with regular practice: sleep problems, poor memory, lack of energy, reduced lung capacity, colds, coughs, tonsillitis, halitosis, palpitations, constipation, and even low haemoglobin levels.

And he concludes:

“Regular and precise practice of Sirsasana develops the body, disciplines the mind and widens the horizons of the spirit. One becomes balanced and self-reliant in pain and pleasure, loss and gain, shame and fame, and defeat and victory.”

Widens the horizons of the spirit!

For me, that’s the most intriguing bit. What does that really mean? Beyond the practical and superficial (yet still important) benefits, what are the true benefits of headstand?

After all, many people want to learn headstand — but not necessarily for the health benefits. So what are they, really?

For me, the biggest benefit has been the physical confidence it gives. Not necessarily in a sporty or performance sense, but a quiet confidence in my own health, strength, and resilience. That confidence has inspired me to take even better care of my body.

Then there’s the challenge. Headstand is more demanding than most yoga postures. The process of practising, failing, and eventually succeeding brings a huge sense of achievement. How often do you face something that feels impossible and then prove to yourself that you can do it? That experience ripples out into the rest of life.

But above all, I think headstand is simply fun. It’s like being a child again — turning yourself upside down, laughing, wobbling, maybe falling, and getting back up again. There’s a beautiful sense of play in that.

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