Sleep is essential for the body. It helps maintain optimal physical, mental, and emotional well being.
Good quality sleep improves concentration, cognition, and emotional intelligence. It also prevents depression, lowers inflammation, and boosts the immune system. The body cells, muscles, and tissues recover and regenerate during the sleep. It keeps the sanity intact.
Ironically, despite being so helpful and vital, many have Insomnia. Peaceful sleep is a distant dream for many today. Physical pain, medical issues, depression, anxiety, lifestyle, and environmental disturbance are some reasons for lack of proper sleep.
Acupressure has a plausible solution for sleep disorder. Stimulation of specific points on the body is said to induce sound sleep.
Let us see some of these pressure points to induce sleep in detail.
One should breathe regularly and deep during acupressure therapy. Before starting the therapy, Shower with warm water. It helps fall asleep.
An Mian
The literal meaning of this word is ‘peaceful sleep.’ This point is beneficial in inducing good quality sleep.
Right behind the ears, we can feel some bony protrusion. As you trace this bony protrusion towards the back of the ear, the point where it ends is our An Mian point. Use your thumb to press this point and make a small circle on the spot. Keep the pressure light.
A stimulation of around one to two minutes will relax you and help in falling asleep.
HT 7
Also known as spirit gate or Shen Men. This point reduces anxiety and worry and hence secures good sleep.
This point is on the inner arm on the wrist line. Protrude the pinky finger line backward to intersect the wrist line. The intersection is the HT 7 point.
Use your forefinger of the other hand to press and rotate this point for about a minute. Then release for 30 seconds. Repeat the whole procedure 5 -7 times on each hand. Keep the pressure light to moderate.
SP- 6
It is also known as San Yin Jiao. Pregnant women should avoid stimulation of this point. This acupressure point helps reduce fatigue, and the body feels relaxed. A relaxed body can sleep better.
This point is on the inner part of the leg. Measure four-finger width above the bony protrusion on the inner ankle. Locate the SP 6 point here just behind the bone in the flesh.
Apply deep pressure with your thumb for about a count of 5 to 6. Relax for five seconds. Repeat the therapy atleast six to eight times on each leg.
LV 3
It is located on foot and is called the surge point in English and Tai Chong in Chinese. Stimulation of this point brings down blood pressure and anxiety. It makes the person feel pleasant and relaxed and induces sleep.
Trace the line created between the big toe and the next toe towards the leg. As you go further away from the toes, you can feel the toes join the metatarsal bone. This point is in the hollow just before the joint.
Press with your thumb and stimulate the point by rotating in small circles for 3- 4 seconds. Then release and repeat for 4 – 5 times. Do the same on the other leg.
KD 3
This point is located between the ankle bone and the Achilles tendon towards the Achilles. It is on the inside of the leg. It is also called Taixi. Blood pressure, in the case of middle-aged and beyond, lowers on stimulating this point.
Press this point with your thumb for few seconds then release. Repeat 6 – 8 times on each leg. Keep the pressure light to moderate. Since we have thin tissue here, do not press very hard.
A sound sleep ensues after the massage of this point in most of the patients.
Yin Tang
It is located between the eyebrows on the forehead. Yin Tang stimulation brings calmness and relaxation to mind and body.
Use forefinger to press and rotate this point in clockwise and anticlockwise directions for about a minute each. Focus on the point mentally also as you stimulate it. It increases the effectiveness of stimulation.
Repeat 4 -6 times.
The inner frontier gate
This point is three finger width away from the wrist crease on the inner side of the arm. It is also called Neiguan.
You can feel two tendons on the designated area, and the Neiguan is in the center of the tendons. Press with your thumbs for a few seconds and release it. Repeat this press release technique for 4 – 5 times. Remember to repeat it, on the other hand, also.
Proper stimulation will induce a relaxed and calm state of mind. You can enjoy a blissful sleep immediately after this.
Bubbling spring
This pressure point is interestingly located in the sole. Raise your foot and try to bend all your toes away from you. As you do this, a crease forms little above the center of the sole.
Right in the middle of the crease, you can feel a small depression. That is the bubbling spring point. Press hard with your thumb for 6 -8 seconds, release for a count of 6. Repeat the press- release technique six times. Do it on the other sole as well.
Stimulation of this point grounds all the internal energies. It makes the mind and body calm and quiet and lays a perfect setting for a peaceful sleep.
Shi mein
The sole has this point on it. You can find it at the center and extreme far end on the heel.
Being too fleshy, you may not be able to stimulate it with your finger. Use any blunt object like a pen to press and rotate the point for about half to one minute. Repeat 4 – 5 times and then repeat on the other leg.
It also induces sleep in the person and, if done well, will result in undisturbed sleep.
The above pressure points induce sleep. You can use it on yourself or make someone go to sleep. They do not have any side effects and can be used for as long as you wish. It tends to make the body follow a ‘sleep time table’ in due course of time.
Sedatives are habit-forming, and in due course of time, their effect wears off. These simple pressure point stimulation can help you get back your sleep and peace.