10 Acupressure Mats for Stress Relief at Home
Given the worked up lifestyle, constant worry about job, bills, financial stability, and an increased influence of social media leading to desire a frequent upgrade in lifestyle, stress has seeped into our daily lives. We worry about getting a better job or making more money, which leads us to over working, and while doing so we compromise our relationships and ignore our daily well-being. The hypothalamus in our brain sends an order to release stress hormones and you end up with fast-paced heartbeat, tightened muscles and short breath.
While the hypothalamus’ function is actually a coping mechanism for your body in an event of an emergency, our lifestyles have made it to function actively in our daily lives, which can be quite detrimental to our health. From serious ailments of the heart and brain to fertility issues, high blood pressure and diabetes, stress can contribute to a lot of health risks. Some of the early symptoms of chronic stress include irritability, anxiety, headaches and depression. These alone can have a significant impact on the quality of life.
It might not be possible to really give up all the worries which trigger stress, but opting for a healthier lifestyle and adding regular exercise, meditation, balanced diet and a consistent sleep pattern can help you combat stress and lead a better life.
In addition to these, a lot of people resort to massages, sauna baths, cupping therapy or even hobbies like knitting or baking to overcome stress. The Chinese concept of acupuncture which involves insertion of thin needles into several pressure points on the body is also a widely adapted practice to combat stress.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, illnesses are caused by an imbalance of the complementary extreme ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ of the force of life called ‘Qi’, also known widely as energy. This energy flows along the 14 meridians in the human body and is accessible from over 350 pressure points. Acupuncture works to puncture those pressure points and stabilize the flow of energy. This stability in energy flow gives an instant pain and stress relief. However, not all of us have access to an experience acupuncturist. This is where acupressure mats come into play.