So yoga may offer a lower-impact way to be active, she said.

Beyond physical exercise, yoga includes other ways to practice “mindfulness” — such as breathing practices, relaxation techniques and meditation.

And research shows that in general, mindfulness practices can support the parasympathetic nervous system, said Dr. Cynthia Armand, a neurologist at the Montefiore Headache Center in New York City.

That’s the “rest and digest” arm of the nervous system, explained Armand, who was not involved in the study. It puts the brakes on the sympathetic nervous system — which governs “fight or flight” and its accompanying surge in stress hormones.

For the study, Bhatia’s team recruited 160 adult patients in India with episodic migraines — meaning between four and 14 a month. Most were taking preventive medication, mainly certain blood pressure drugs or antidepressants.

The researchers randomly assigned half to add yoga to their usual medications; all patients were given lifestyle advice.

After three months, people in the yoga group were having 48% fewer migraine episodes — dropping from an average of nine a month, to just under five. There was little change in the comparison group, who went from an average of just under eight migraines a month, to just shy of seven.

Armand and Colman called the results promising.

“I think people can be encouraged by this, and consider adding yoga to their standard care,” Colman said.

An important point, Armand said, is that it appeared safe. No study participants reported suffering headaches or nausea during their yoga practice.

A caution, though, is that yoga exists in many different styles. The practice in this study consisted of gentler poses and plenty of breath work and relaxation — not the fast-paced and strenuous styles offered in many real-world classes.

Colman recommended people with migraines avoid “hot yoga,” which is practiced in heated rooms, since dehydration is a major trigger of headaches.

Armand agreed on that point, and said that in general, it’s wise to know what kind of yoga you’re getting into beforehand.

“You want to make sure you’re at the right place, with the right instruction,” she said.