How to Manage Stress and Ease Anxiety with Acupressure

This ancient discipline is a very effective natural remedy for calming negative emotions and relaxing the body quickly.

Stress, anxiety, uncertainty, nervousness, anguish… For many months we have been living with a series of negative emotions and feelings that deprive us of a full state of well-being. We sleep worse, we seek refuge in food, we find it hard to concentrate and we lack motivation for physical exercise. All this has a negative impact on our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Acupressure is an ancient therapy based on acupuncture points that allows us to regain our lost energy balance in a natural way. However, instead of using needles, it involves finger pressure. As Philippa Harvey, a specialist in Traditional Chinese Medicine at SHA Wellness Clinic tells us, ‘One of the advantages of this technique is that it can be done anytime, anywhere and is recommended for everyone. There are essential pressure points which, when worked on, relax the body, relieve tension, and help restore balance’.

As soon as you start to feel stressed or anxious, Philippa’s advice is to ‘focus on your breath for a few seconds, breathing calmly and deeply. This makes us present, aware of these sensations and recognise what is upsetting us, which helps us calm down, control our adrenaline levels and distance ourselves from that particular emotion. Next, press with your thumb for about 10 seconds on the 7th point of the Heart Meridian, known as the bliss point. It is located past your little finger towards the crease of your wrist and promotes relaxation, improving our emotions. Then, do the same on the other hand.

Another key point to relieve stress and anxiety is under the nail bed of the ring finger, on the side of the index finger. Press it with your thumb for about 10 seconds and then switch hands’.

Beyond the hands, there are also other acupressure points that promote relaxation and help us to calm down. ‘With two index fingers, press and rub the back of your head for 15 seconds, just at the level of your hairline. And, to combat insomnia and sleep better, press your back at the level of your third lumbar vertebra for about 30 seconds. Then breathe consciously, relax your jaw and repeat the above points,” concludes the expert.

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