My acupressure mat has helped me a LOT as I’ve recovered from debilitating neck pain.
I have tried just about every back/neck pain tool out there (my credit card can attest to this) in desperation to find relief, so the fact that I say this thing actually works means a lot. There is a huge difference in not just my pain levels but also my stress and focus on the days when I “don’t have enough time” to use my acupressure mat. (I use quotes because, of course, how we spend our time is entirely within our control, but I digress.)
This so-called “beds of nails” is one of the few health tools that a) you can buy for pretty cheap
So what is an acupressure mat?
Acupressure mats were created in Russia in the early 1980s by Ivan Kuznetzov as a sort of self-acupuncture medical device. Basically, he was trying to create the poor man’s self-acupuncture tool. (I respect the hustle).
Since he couldn’t use needles to target specific points of the body, he covered a rubber mat with stainless steel office pins and figured when he lay down on it some of those pins would hit the right spots. It was loosely based off the science of acupuncture as well as the literal beds of nails used in some branches of Hinduism and yogic tradition.
What’s interesting is that Kuznetzov ended up discovering that while the mats weren’t as effective at doing exactly what acupuncture did, they had their own incredible health benefits that were altogether unique. The mats were so effective that the product was quickly mass-manufactured and became a huge success.
What are the mats’ health benefits? Why do they work?
The biggest reason is this: because the mats are covered in tiny spikes, a very large surface area of your skin gets stimulated all at once. This stimulation causes tiny reflexes in the skin that produce a flood of endorphins.
Endorphins make you feel really good.
You’re probably already thinking this, but in case you need to be reminded of the wisdom of Elle Woods:
“Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.”
Like exercise, those tiny spikes give you endorphins, too. So, bonus effect of using your acupressure mat: a happy (and alive!) partner because you’ll be living your best life.
After your body releases those endorphins, it follows that up by releasing a number of other physiological regulators into the bloodstream such as growth hormone and insulin.
All you really need to understand is that this is VERY good for your body. A number of diseases are actually linked to abnormalities in the endorphin system, including schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, hypertensia, diabetes, PMS, hot flashes, and weight problems.
I think we can all probably agree that we’d like those endorphins, please.
More acupressure mat benefits:
- Reduces pain
- Strengthens the liver, spleen and kidney
- Alleviates headaches
- Increases energy and decreases fatigue
- Reduces depression and improves mood
- Improves sleep and alleviates insomnia
- Relieves stress and promotes relaxation
- Eases spinal problems and sciatica
- Relaxes muscle spasms and cramps
- Activates the immune system, improving defenses especially against the flu, common cold and asthma
- Regulates digestion and elimination
- Promotes healthy blood pressure
- Improves conditions of cystitis, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, PMS and complicated periods
» via Reflexo-Therapy With Mechanical Cutaneous Stimulation «
I mean come on! Is that not a pretty impressive resumé or what? Sign me up!
How do you use an acupressure mat?
The best part about these mats is that they give you a ton of benefits for, like, zero work. All you have to do is lie down and relax!
There are a ton of acupressure mats available to buy online and in wellness stores everywhere, and they’re all basically the same. I use this one from HemingWeigh
Most mats come with a comfy neck pillow that provides stimulation along the cervical spine (so key for targeting my neck’s muscle spasms). So, you just lie down so your entire back is on the mat (the neck pillow is optional — my husband prefers to ditch it and just lie flat).
You want your bare skin to be on the spikes, so you’ll probably want to be somewhere you’ve got some privacy (like, not your office). I like to have a blanket over me because I get cold but you do you.
By the way — these mats sound a lot scarier than they are. Not many people get a ripple of delight at the thought of lying down on some sharp spikes, no matter how good it may be for our bodies. Understandable.
But using an acupressure mat does NOT hurt. I promise!
Now, I’ll be honest with you, I had an interesting reaction the first time I tried using my acupressure mat — I found it so painful I couldn’t bear to lie down for even a few seconds. This, I must re-emphasize, is not normal. Using the mat doesn’t hurt. It’s not the most comfortable thing in the world at first, but it doesn’t hurt. The spikes aren’t sharp. Plus your body quickly settles into it and soon you hardly notice it and just feel amazing, like you’re floating.
So wait — if it’s not supposed to hurt, why did it hurt?
My nervous system at the time was completely f*cked. I was addicted to my pain killer prescription. I didn’t meditate at the time, and had only recently discovered yoga. The pain in my neck overshadowed my every waking thought, and I couldn’t get relief. I was a buzzing ball of stress and anxiety and pain.
My body’s reaction was actually a major wake-up call for me. I did the usual Google research to find out if the mat was supposed to be THAT unbearable — I’ve always had extremely high pain tolerance, so how could anyone stand this? And when I read that the mats aren’t supposed to be painful, I realized just how damaged my body was.
It turns out that the acupressure mat is exactly what my burnt-out body needed.
After a couple of months of healing, I finally got brave enough to try my acupressure mat once again. By this point I’d mostly weaned myself off the pain killers and had begun a mindfulness practice, so my body wasn’t quite as fried as before.
As soon as I lay down, I nearly cried with relief. The mat didn’t hurt. In fact, it felt incredible.
Since then, I’ve been using it every day, 20 minutes a day. You can start out lying down for whatever length of time you have or feels good, but do try to work your way up to 20 minutes a session to really give your body time to do its thing.
My secret pro-tip? Try meditating while you’re lying on your mat.
I actually owe my meditation practice to my acupressure mat. It essentially forces you to into a meditative state, if you let it. You’re still and quiet for however long you choose to lie down, so it makes sense to really dive into that mental state. The awareness of the sensations against your skin are a good guiding tool for your thoughts and help keep you present. Plus, the mats are so relaxing that I find it’s much easier for me to slip into a deeper meditation and focus when I’m on the mat.
If meditation’s not yet your thing (I’ll make it your thing eventually, don’t worry), I also recommend listening to soothing music or an audio book or podcast you love. Make it a special time for you to honor yourself and actually decompress. Breathe deeply, and try to relax anywhere your body might be holding onto to tension.
I hope you enjoy your time on your acupressure mat as much as I do.
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Have you tried an acupressure mat before? Do you have any neck or back pain? Let me know what other tools you’ve used for pain relief!
xo,
Amy
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Photos by Matthew Hanley, edits by me