How to relieve your anxiety and stress by using a few acupressure points

We all experience some level of stress and/or anxiety in our daily lives. A small amount is normal and can even help boost productivity. However, in our clinic, we see many people who suffer from chronic and excessive stress or anxiety. Over time, this can lead to more serious health issues such as cardiovascular problems, weakened immunity, skin conditions, chronic muscle pain, infertility, and other health concerns (Psychcentral.com).

According to a 2014 survey by the Australian Psychological Society, one in four Australians reported experiencing moderate to severe stress, with younger individuals reporting even higher levels of stress.

So how can you manage your anxiety and stress to prevent long-term health consequences? Engaging in regular exercise, meditation or yoga, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting adequate sleep can all make a difference.

In addition, you can try massaging the following acupressure points for two minutes each:

Yin Tang (photo sourced: Deadman et al, Manual of Acupuncture CD)

Heart 7 (photo sourced: Deadman et al, Manual of Acupuncture CD)

Pericardium 7

Liver 3,

If these self-help techniques are not enough to significantly reduce your stress or anxiety levels, acupuncture may be a helpful next step.

A small study (N=25) reported by Dias et al. in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine (Issue 30, 2012) found that electroacupuncture applied to the scalp, body, and ears of medical students significantly improved self-reported stress symptoms compared to a control group.

Improvements were noted in areas such as sleep quality (75% improvement in the treatment group vs. 23% in the control group), daytime drowsiness, depressive symptoms, emotional fatigue, and physical health (Dias et al., 2012).

If you would like to discuss these treatment options further, please contact our clinic at (03) 9857 8062.