Acupressure mat health benefits: 6 reasons to start your day on an acupressure mat

This Morning: Pet dog is given acupuncture live

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Acupuncture stimulates energy pathways in the body to move energy, blood and lymph from place to place in your body. Acupressure, on the other hand, does not use needles or puncture the skin but has the same principle. Express.co.uk chatted to Acupuncturist and Bed of Nails Expert, Maudie Evitt, (www.maudieacupuncture.com) to find out the six benefits of acupressure.

Acupressure can be seen as an at-home version or extension of acupuncture treatment by a professional.

According to Maudie, acupressure and acupuncture go hand in hand and they complement each other perfectly.

She said: “It is so important for you to feel that you can take part in your own healing; so starting with acupuncture and getting an explanation for the reasoning behind the treatment you are receiving, you can then add in acupressure with Bed of Nails for an at-home extension of your treatment plan.

“This commitment to yourself and your goals will bring you closer to your ideal picture of health.

“Also, it’s super important to be guided by a licensed practitioner when it comes to continuing your treatment at home with acupressure.”

You should sit, lay or stand on an acupressure mat for at least 10 to 20 minutes to see results.

As the body starts to move blood to the area, you’ll notice your skin feeling prickly, tingly, warm or even as if it is sunburnt.

Once it has been 10 to 20 minutes, your body will start to feel more relaxed, muscle tension will ease and you may feel sleepy.

For an intense treatment, you can lay on the mat on your bed or the floor. If you need a less intense version, try using it while leaning on a sofa or armchair. Some people like to stand on the mat for a foot massage.

There are hundreds of points located all over the body, each with a different function and role and you should use the mat where you feel you need it.

Here are the six benefits of using an acupressure bed.

Better sleep

If you struggle with insomnia, acupressure mats can be helpful to calm the mind and relax your body.

Lay on the mat with a cup of herbal tea and a good book and you’ll be drifting off in no time.

It’s perfectly fine to fall asleep on the mat, just make sure you move the mat and sleep as normal when you wake up and realise.

Destress

Studies show that lying on a bed of nails activates the nervous system and reduces stress by dropping cortisol levels.

We’re all stressed every now and then, so an acupressure mat will be useful for anyone.

These beds of nails are also great for people with anxiety or anyone who struggles with an overwhelmed mind and can’t switch off.

Back pain

Acupressure mats have been proven effective in muscle pain relief and management, which is useful if you have back pain (which one in six Brits do).

Laying on the mat releases pain blockers such as oxytocin and endorphins, so it’s a brilliant tool for chronic back pain, arthritic pain, and tension.

A few 20-30 minute sessions can ease tension and get you back on your feet if your back is particularly sore.

Headaches and migraines

Headaches and migraines have lots of different causes and can be debilitating.

Whether caused by stress, muscle tension, eyestrain, sinuses, or hormones, headaches can cause substantial personal suffering, impair quality of life and just take the fun out of life.

Acupressure can help to relieve frequent chronic tension headaches, with one study finding that muscle-specific massage therapy like this could potentially be a functional, non-pharmacological intervention for reducing the incidence of chronic tension headaches.

Use the mat on your neck, shoulders and back to release tension, promote blood flow and block pain by releasing oxytocin and endorphins.

Better circulation

Acupressure also helps to improve circulation and reduce blood pressure, something which a lot of us could do with.

Increased circulation results in improved oxygenation of tissues, and overall improved physical and emotional health!

Make sure you drink a lot of water after using the mat though, as it can help the body rid itself of toxins and leave you a little dehydrated.

Period pains

Acupuncture plays an important role in women’s health due to its ability to treat unbalanced hormones, reduce inflammation and pain, and apparently even support optimum fertility by improving egg quality.

Acupressure therefore can help with the above too to some extent.

Try using an acupressure strap on your lower stomach to relieve aches and pains and help keep conditions related to your hormones under control.

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