The Power of Pressure Points for Anxiety and Stress relief

We've all been there—those moments when anxiety strikes randomly, threatening to consume us whole. And what do we often do? We try to escape, to distract ourselves, but let's face it, that only adds more fuel to the anxiety fire. Believe me, I'm just as guilty as the next person. But this summer, I've made a conscious decision to break free from the cycle of distraction and instead explore new methods to combat anxiety head-on.

With that in mind and goal, let's dive into acupressure —a physical approach to alleviate the stress and anxiety we face.

What is acupressure?

Acupressure is a therapeutic technique rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that involves applying pressure to specific points on the body known as acupoints. According to TCM principles, the human body has a network of energy pathways called meridians through which vital energy, known as Qi (pronounced "chee"), flows. When Qi becomes imbalanced or blocked, it can lead to physical and emotional discomfort. Acupressure aims to restore the smooth flow of Qi by stimulating acupoints along the meridians, promoting overall well-being and relieving various symptoms.

The goal is to encourage the body's self-healing abilities, reduce pain, and promote relaxation.

Here are 6 acupressure points that will help you alleviate anxiety and stress! These are wonderful to do in the office, or the car or at home.

You can find the inner frontier gate point on your arm, about three finger widths below your wrist.

You find this point in the upper part of your ear, at the tip of the hollow.

You find this point, by extending the arm slightly out and turning your palm up. At the side of the wrist nearest the thumb, look for a slight indent near the edge of the wrist.

You find this point above the nose at the exact midpoint between your eyebrows

You find this point inline with your pinky finger on your wrist.

You find this pressure point in the webbing between your thumb and index finger.

I have also added videos from YouTube for you to watch that will really make it easier to understand and locate these points as well as other points!

Yasuko Kawamura

Cleveland Clinic

GoodFul

Also remember this is not the end all solution to anxiety so make sure you go to a mental health practitioner if you need it <3.