Acupressure points for insomnia and anxiety
I have written this article to help you learn acupressure points for insomnia and anxiety. They are helpful if you lay in bed at night with a racing mind, or wake up during the night and have difficulty falling back to sleep, or if you have generalized anxiety. I thought it would be helpful to share with you some common acupuncture points you can massage on yourself or your loved ones. When you do acupressure, use deep, firm pressure to massage and stimulate each point. When massaging acupoints, try to relax in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Even listen to calming music to get you in a zen space. Repeat the massage as often as you like; there is no limit to the number of times a day.
To further help relieve anxiety and calm the mind before bed, try this acupressure mat. I use it every night to unwind after a busy day, and 9 times out of 10 I get so relaxed I fall asleep within 20 minutes… CLICK HERE
Another tip is to practice Qi Gong daily, as it allows our energy highways to flow freely and calm our mind. I have a demonstration you can follow along to by CLICKING HERE
Heart 7
Heart 7 (shen men – spirit gate) when you run in between the 4th and 5th finger, located at the wrist crease.
This point is effective for insomnia, anxiety and worry, and clear thinking. It also helps physical heart issues such as angina, irregular heart beat, and a pounding heart.
Spleen 6
Spleen 6 (San Yin Jiao – three yin intersection) When moving up the leg from the posterior border of the inner ankle bone, approx. 3 inches
above it in the depression. *do not use during pregnancy
This is the meeting place of the liver, kidney, and spleen meridians. So think of it as 3 birds with one stone (3 meridians with 1 point). This is a main point to build blood and yin in the body, and helpful for insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, and worry. It helps dizziness, vertigo, and hypertension, as well as any bleeding disorders. It also benefits gynecological issues, difficult labor, and male sexual symptoms. Finally, as the Spleen in TCM is in charge of the digestive system, really any digestive issue it can help with.
An Mian (Peaceful sleep) Located behind the mastoid process in the depression just below the scalp.
With this point, the name says it all! It is an extra point for insomnia, and helps with both falling and staying asleep. It can also help with nightmares/excessive dreaming. Its secondary indications help vertigo, palpitations, headaches, and anxiety.
Pericardium 6
Pericardium 6 (Nei guan – Inner gate) Located 2 inches from the wrist crease, in between the two large tendons.
This point most people are familiar with for its sea sickness benefits. It is an amazing point to help nausea, but has many other uses. Since it is on the Pericardium meridian, it is very effective for opening the chest, angina, palpitations, and asthma. It is very effective to release fear, sadness, anxiety, stress, PMS and for insomnia.
Kidney 6
Kidney 6 (Zhao hai – Shining sea) This point is located in the depression 1 inch below the tip of the inner ankle bone.
This is the master point of the Conception vessel (Ren Mai). Since this is a point connected with the main ‘Yin’ channel, it is extremely beneficial for Women. My favorite uses for this point are for night sweats and other menopausal symptoms. I use it in Facial Renewal Acupuncture as a ‘wrinkle’ point as well as to hydrate the skin in combination with a few other ‘Goddess’ points.
It works wonders for insomnia, anxiety, fright/fear, and dream-disturbed sleep. It helps fertility, gyno issues like a painful period or no period at all. It is beneficial for a sore throat, ‘invisible’ phlegm in the throat leading to difficulty swallowing, and constipation.
