“At a time when people are so conscious of maintaining their physical health by controlling their diets, exercising, and so forth, it makes sense to try to cultivate the corresponding mental attitudes too.”

– HH the Dalai Lama, 1963

It can be easy to forget how much our mental state can affect our physical well-being. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, that connection is evident in the treatment strategies, but it is also true that when we are feeling bad, we don’t always think to look at our minds. It works both ways. 

As we find ourselves in the middle place between winter and spring that is February, it is common to experience anxiety. Seasons aside, there has been a measured increase in anxiety levels for many people around the world associated with the coronavirus pandemic as well. So, whether feeling anxious is new to you or you know anxiety like an old friend, I wanted to offer five simple acupuncture points you can administer on yourself to help alleviate some of that mental strain, and hopefully boost your physical health as well. 

All of these points are accessible while seated or lying down. I recommend using your thumb on each acupoint, gradually applying more pressure until you find a sweet spot where there is some resistance but no pain. Hold that pressure steady while you make small circular movements with your thumb, massaging the point. Take 10 slow breaths, and then release the point. If you are pregnant or have a preexisting health condition, take precautions and contact me first before applying these acupressure points.

Point 1: Shen men or Heart 7.

This point is located on the inside of your wrist, in the crease, on the side where your pinky finger is. This point is great if you have trouble falling asleep due to anxiety or if you wake up in the middle of the night feeling anxious. Massaging this point calms the heart and anxiety along with it.

Point 2: The third eye or Yintang.

Known well to yogis, this point is located between the eyebrows. This is another good point for insomnia. It is located right over the pineal gland, which helps regulate melatonin. Besides insomnia, this point is known for taking the edge off feelings of restlessness and helps with overall emotional well-being.

Point 3: Pericardium six.

This point is also located on the inside of the forearm, about two inches down from the wrist crease, in the middle of the forearm. While it is often used for nausea, it is also a great point to open the chest and the heart, counteracting the contracting energy of anxiety.

Point 4: Chest center or Conception vessel 17.

This point is located in the center of the chest, between the nipples. For many people, anxiety can feel like a tightness in the chest or shortness of breath. This point relaxes and opens the chest and relaxes the diaphragm.

Point 5: Hundred meetings or Governing vessel 20.

To find this point, use both hands to trace from the tops of the ears to the center of the top of your head. This point can help with racing thoughts and existential anxiety. For those that experience anxiety in their body as jaw clenching, this is a good point for releasing that. This point can also raise yang energy, lifting depression and sadness.

Administering acupressure on yourself is a great daily practice, and these points are a helpful starter pack for anxiety. If your anxiety is ongoing or you would like more support, you can always reach out to me with questions or to set up an appointment.

The post 5 Acupoints for Anxiety You Can Administer Yourself appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.

One of the most wonderful things about being an acupuncturist is the ability to stimulate points on my own body when I need to. If I get a headache, or feel a cold coming on, I can always hop up on my table for a quick tune-up with some needles. Even when I’m not at the office, the magic of acupuncture can still work for me – as long as I know where the points are and what they do, I can press on them and get results.

So, what points do acupuncturists use when they need to chill out? There are so many points on the body that help to calm the mind and bring us down from our stresses and anxieties. My top three, however, are pericardium 6, liver 3, and stomach 6.

Liver 3 is a point located between the first and second toes. If you slide your finger between the toes up until you hit the junction of the two bones, you will find a very tender spot. This is a great point for so many things: irritability, headaches, TMJ, anxiety…the list goes on. If you think about these four issues, they all have one thing in common: they result from the energy in the body rising upward. Liver 3 is a very grounding point. It channels the energy downward. When we are in a state of anxiety, it’s so hard to get out of our heads, but this point will help.

Pericardium 6 is a point that is commonly used for stress and nausea. You have probably seen the bands some pregnant women use around their wrist for morning sickness. These are designed to put pressure on this point, quelling the queasiness. The point is located between the two tendons on your wrist, two fingers up from the wrist crease. Pressing on it is immediately calming. It helps to open the chest, as well, so if your anxiety comes with a side of chest tightness or shallow breathing, this is your point.

Stomach 6 isn’t typically on the top 10 list of acupuncture points for stress, but it is my favorite. If you clench your teeth, you can find it by going one finger width anterior and superior to the angle of the mandible at the belly of the masseter muscle. Like many people, I hold a lot of tension in my face and jaw. Massaging this point creates an instant release for me. Once I feel the muscles in my face release, it brings a sense of relaxation into my entire body. Try it for yourself, it feels great!

The post 3 AcuPoints for Anxiety appeared first on Tybee Acupuncture.