Benefits of acupressure mats

With alternative therapies making a comeback in modern medicine, many people have resorted to these methods for pain relief. While there are plenty of strategies, not all of them work effectively. One method that is gaining popularity is acupressure.

Acupressure has its origins in China, but it is now practiced by professionals everywhere in the world. The best thing is that you can enjoy this therapy in your home as long as you get yourself a good acupressure mat.

If you are new to acupressure, you might be wondering how this mat can be useful as your pain relief strategy. Well, below are some of the benefits that you will enjoy when using an acupressure mat.

Advantages of using an acupressure mat

While there many uses for acupressure mats, here are 5 of the most common uses that have been and tried and proven by experts.

1. Natural pain relief

A study by the European Journal of Integrative Medicine studied the effects of the acupuncture mat on people with back pain. As it turned out, many of the participants reported that some of the back pain went away after a few minutes of using the mat.

10% of them, however, said that the mats caused more pain and had to stop using it. This is because of the needles in the mat. When shopping for the best acupressure mat, always ensure to select one that doesn’t have very sharp needles that could cause damage to your skin.

2. Improves sleep

According to the CDC, 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep. While some of this can be attributed to the use of gadgets even during bedtime, a significant number of people lack sleep due to the stresses of daily life. If this is you, then the acupressure mat is ideal for you.

A 2015 study on sleep patterns for menopausal women showed that they slept less comfortable than when they used an acupressure mat. The study involved a group of people who kept diaries of their sleeping patterns to show the quality of the sleep they were getting. This shows it can also be ideal for those who lack sleep due to stress or other reasons.

3. Aids in sports injury recovery

Acupressure can also be used to aid those recovering from sports injuries such as painful sores. A study by the University of Otago in New Zealand showed that acupressure helped to reduce pains suffered from sports injuries. However, the practice hasn’t made its way into gyms and sports training facilities yet.

4. Relaxes muscles and reduces stress and anxiety

According to a study conducted by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, lying on the mat elicits a parasympathetic response which causes the body to relax. However, this can only come after the initial “getting used to” sitting on the mat.

However, it is important to consider that factors such as the stress levels of the participants were not considered in this experiment.

5. Mental health

Acupuncture can help to improve mental health -that is according to a study conducted in 2015. In this study, the subjects were given the treatment three times a week and their depression, stress, and anxiety levels were tested. The results were positive.

If you had been wondering what’s the craze around acupressure mats was all about, then hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two from this guide. Note that these studies have all been conducted independently and there hasn’t been a study by the government nor is the use of these mats regulated by a government body.