Numerous pieces of research have proven that acupressure therapy has an immediate and positive impact on the symptoms of anxiety.
With an acupressure mat, you can enjoy the treatment in your own home.
It’s worth mentioning that though acupressure can relieve the symptoms of anxiety immediately for many, it’s not treating the root cause of the condition.
Therefore relief will be short term, but with very few reported side effects, it can be used as a daily tool for easing the symptoms of the condition.
So let’s take a look at the research…
Between 1997 and 2014, 39 different studies were conducted to understand how the spiky treatment can help to calm the mind.
Data from each project reported a positive outcome. They found acupressure to be effective in providing immediate relief to symptoms and described it as having a “medium effect size”.
In fact, five of the included projects with larger sample sizes reported an even greater effect, leading researchers to call for wider scale trials.
One such investigation was published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies in 2014.
It focused on easing depression, anxiety and stress in patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis.
Results were assessed on the Depression, Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) and found that scores were significantly lowered after the treatment.
Professors in Malaysia, where the research was carried out, were able to conclude:
Findings from this study indicates that acupressure therapy delivered three times a week for four weeks was able to significantly reduce depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress in patients with hemodialysis.
This positive finding suggests that acupressure may have a role in promoting psychological wellbeing of patients.
Promoting psychological wellness will improve patients’ quality of life, and reduce negative outcomes associated with psychological illnesses and distress experienced by patients with hemodialysis.
There is also much anecdotal evidence you can discover when shopping for an acupressure mat.
Just take a look at the reviews of any popular acupressure mat and you’ll find many people with anxiety who appreciate the relief they can enjoy.
We’ve found through lots of testing that the best way to use an acupressure mat for anxiety is to make it part of your self-care routine and set a mood.
You can light a candle, mist anxiety-relieving essential oils into the air, recite a mantra or play binaural beats, proven to relieve symptoms of the condition. Making it part of your meditation or yoga practice can also be powerful.
Holistic therapist and wellness expert, Brandi Jackson, explains that finding a place you feel comfortable is so important:
If you find yourself anxious at home, consider keeping your mat in a space where you can practice for example your bedroom may be ideal or near the living room couch.
If you are working in an office space, consider keeping your acupressure mat at your desk or in your car to be used during your break.
As well as helping to treat anxiety, the therapy has a range of other benefits for your health.
Here are just a few of them:
- Self-administered acupressure can ease the symptoms of insomnia.
- It can help to boost your circulation, if you’re looking for ways to get your blood pumping!
- There is evidence to show the therapy can stimulate the production of endorphins, often referred to as ‘the body’s natural painkillers’.
If you want to read more about the scientifically proven advantages of acupressure, then we’ve compiled a list of 25 reasons to roll out your mat today!
Sign-up for The Good Body mailing list
