The Physical Therapist Saila Insua Lopez from Wonderland Spa explains the five key acupressure points to release tension, physical and mental health. acupuncture benefits

Whether you are an acupuncture aficionado or you want to learn more about this technique, acupressure, is known as a Chinese medicine technique that helps to relieve pain, improve mood and lower stress. 

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Being at home during lockdown may cause higher levels of anxiety, and a possible alternative to fight the stress could be to consider acupressure in your routine. Acupressure is like acupuncture, but the good news is that it doesn’t require needles! 

How does stress affect us?

Stress is a feeling of physical or emotional tension. It can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.

Stress is our body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. In small episodes, stress can be positive, such as when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline. But when stress lasts a long time, it can damage our health. The body reacts to stress by releasing hormones. These hormones make the brain more alert, causing muscles to tighten, and increasing your pulse. In the short term, these reactions are good because they can help us handle the situation that causes stress. This is the body’s way of protecting itself.

When you have chronic stress, your body stays alert even when there is no danger. Over time, this put us at risk for major health problems.

Identifying the cause of stress is essential to the success of any therapy. As a physiotherapist, I recommend that in addition to acupressure, a strategy should be followed to manage stress through exercise and different types of massage.

How can acupressure be used to reduce stress?

Acupressure has the same principles as acupuncture: Maintaining the balance of energy in the various channels that circulate through the body, the so-called meridians, which are linked to a specific organ, but without needles. Stimulations are made through the hands and fingers at particular points or in some circumstances, combining those points to achieve a greater effect in relieving pain or to provide a state of relaxation.

For optimal results, Saila recommends practicing acupressure once or twice a day, but as a general rule, it is more effective to have shorter and more frequent treatments than to have a long one every so often.

Although there is no set limit to how many times we can stimulate these points, she suggests starting with something gentle:

It’s not like a deep tissue massage; let’s treat our body gently.

These 5 key points are for relieving stress and introducing us to acupressure:

Ying Yang – The Face Medicine

Stress-related headaches are the adversary to be beaten by this acupressure point. Located on the forehead, on the midline of the face, Saila recommends gently pressing the area between the eyebrows, with the ring and middle fingers. Press and inhale gently for 4 counts, then release and exhale slowly for 5 counts.

Pericardium 6 – Inside the Wrist 

To find this point, place your palm upwards, take the midpoint of your wrist joint and measure two thumbs from the distance of your elbow. Once you have found the point, gently press it for 30 seconds with deep breaths. This point calms the heart and spirit and treats stomach problems due to stress. It also relieves irritability and helps make sleep more restful.

Liver 14 – Rib Area

If you are suffering from poor digestion due to stress, this is a very powerful point. Liver spot 14 is located on the front of the body, on the ribs, just below each nipple. Use the tips of the three middle fingers and press as you inhale, counting up to 5, she explains. “Slowly release as you exhale, counting to 5.”

Spleen 6 – Inside Leg 

To find this point, which helps combat stress insomnia, she suggests sitting in a chair and placing the ankle above the opposite thigh. Take the top of your inner ankle and measure four fingers wide toward the knee. Right there you will notice the bone (your tibia); this point is just behind that bone. Place the pads of the three middle fingers on this point, overlap the other hand and press down for 1-2 minutes. In addition to improving the quality of your sleep, pressing on this point goes great for all women’s health problems, which are often intensified by stress and anxiety.

Kidney 1 – Sole of the Foot

To reach this point, sit in a chair and cross your leg so that your pinkie toe rests on the upper part of the opposite thigh. What we are looking for is right behind the footpad, drawing a straight line between the second and third toes and the centre of the heel. Press down with your thumbs to activate the point on the body that connects us most to the earth. This acupressure point soothes the heart and mind and relieves anger and frustration.

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