For a long time, when I heard the word “Holistic," I pretty much let whatever followed pass right over me. I grew up with the notion that if a doctor didn’t say it and it wasn’t given to me via a prescription, it probably doesn’t work. THEN [enter anxiety, OCD, depression, stress, break downs - and adulthood]. I’ve learned that unless I have a true medical problem and know that medical assistance is my only option, I will first search all other outlets. To save money? Yes - but also because I love a little [fine, a lot] of education of what my issue is before consulting anyone else. OCD much? Yep, so I have to watch myself - but I monitor this MUCH better nowadays.
Let’s revert back to two years ago. Remember when I wrote that post about my severe depression and the physical signs my body was showing that I had NO idea were related to being depressed? Well, before I ended up in front of a psychiatrist months later, I found as many coping tactics as humanly possible. One of them TRULY WORKED, and is still a tactic I use to this day. In fact, I kind-of swear by it, and so do many other people. I had no idea the cult following behind acupressure mats, until I was all of a sudden “that person” who wouldn’t shut up about it to literally everyone. Coffee date? Acupressure mat discussion. At home movie night? “YOU HAVE TO TRY MY ACUPRESSURE MAT.” Conversation that has nothing to do with anything? “WAIT WAIT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT MY ACUPRESSURE MAT OMG YOU NEED!” Looking back geeeeeezzz I was ON one.
I was just really passionate about this holistic trick, okay? I still am, but since I’ve already told everyone, their mom, their dogs, my aunt’s second brother-in-law, I’m now coming to you. Again, I didn’t believe in this stuff, guys. But my ALL TIME favorite blogger, Lauryn Evarts of The Skinny Confidential has this in her top FIVE must have purchases from Amazon. I’m not one to buy what a blogger recommends because I am fully aware of sponsorships - but this wasn’t one of those times. The further I looked into it on Amazon, the more it was speaking to my soul - and my back pain, insomnia, stress, anxiety - and then my credit card!
I’ve never done acupuncture - so I didn’t even know what acupressure was. Basically, an acupressure mat has tons of tiny plastic, sharp acupoints that stimulate the body’s pressure points SIMILAR to acupuncture - but without the puncture! You lay on the mat (and pillow!) for about 15 minutes, working up to more over time, and let these plastic acupoints sink gently into your back and neck to hit those pressure points that desperately need relief. When the pressure points of the body are stimulated, tension in the muscle is released, while an increase in blood flow and circulation slowly aids to promote healing and complete relaxation. AKA - the stimulation promotes the body to learn to heal itself in certain ways by getting circulation at optimum flow.
You’ll notice after about 10 minutes your back will start to itch (I recommend laying on the mat shirtless) and when you get up, your back will be slightly red - the itch and redness indicates BLOOD FLOW which indicates circulation and the promotion of healing in not only the back, neck, and head, but in the overall body.
I AM BEING 100% honest with you when I say to you I know this helped a lot of the physical pain I was in because of the depression. I also know for a fact that this helps my insomnia when I have too much anxiety to sleep. Sometimes, I roll out of bed in the middle of the night when I am restless and lay on the mat on the hard floor - I let my bare back and neck sink into the mat and pillow for about 15 minutes and I LEGIT almost fall asleep on the mat within 20 mins. Every single time I have done this, I have climbed back into bed and never knew what hit me until morning. It’s SO CRAZY how this holistic method works. Because I was such a skeptic about this sort of thing - I went and called my brother who lives in Hawaii (I know, I know) who is a total holistic guru and told him I GET IT NOW. He said some of his favorite podcasters like Tim Ferriss talk about how acupressure mats totally work for them, but no one can really explain WHY. At this point, I’ve stopped analyzing it and just accept that it works.
Since I’ve gotten basically all my friends and family hooked on this thing, I figured it’s about time I wrote a blog post about it and shared it with The Outsiders community.
I went ahead and signed up to be a part of the Amazon Affiliates program since I REALLY want to start recommending more products that help me, aside from medication and doctors, because I have WAAAAYYY too many tricks up my sleeve after all these years. So I wanted to be open and honest with you guys that some of these are affiliate links, and you totally don’t have to use them! But I love a good Amazon Prime moment and where else can you get this cheaper and faster?! No, seriously, let a girl know!
But this is the exact mat and pillow I purchased that has worked straight MAGIC.
Since this was the one that my favorite blogger recommended and had pictures of herself on, I went ahead and bought it and didn’t even see there are cheaper ones on Amazon like this one. HOWEVER, I haven’t tried any other mats, but how different could they really be? I just HIGHLY recommend you get one that comes with a pillow! GAME-CHANGER.
Have you all tried acupressure mats and I’m just late to the game, orrrrrr?
“Pain Free. Stress Free Living.” I mean, I’ll take it.