body
Acupressure
The needle-free cousin — pressure where the points are.
Sustained finger pressure on traditional acupoints to settle the system, ease pain, and lower nausea.
Acupressure works the same map as acupuncture but uses pressure instead of needles, making it well-suited for self-practice and for people who find needles activating.
Evidence is strongest for nausea (P6 / Neiguan), sleep, anxiety, and chronic pain. We teach a small set of points you can return to between sessions.
What the evidence says
Emerging evidenceCochrane and other systematic reviews support P6 acupressure for nausea (chemotherapy, post-operative, pregnancy). Trials of acupressure for insomnia, anxiety, and chronic low-back pain show small-to-moderate benefits over sham or usual care. Mechanisms likely overlap with acupuncture: endogenous opioid release and autonomic modulation.
References
- [1]Lee, A. et al. (2015). Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point PC6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 11, CD003281. Link ↗
- [2]Waits, A. et al. (2018). Acupressure effect on sleep quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 37, 24–34. Link ↗
Quick reset — Acupressure
Guided care_links
Exercises
Practical, paced ways into acupressure. Start with whichever one feels least effortful — capacity returns through small, repeated doses, not heroic ones.
- 01
2–3 minutes per side, as needed
P6 / Neiguan — Inner Gate
Why it works · P6 (Pericardium 6 / Neiguan, meaning Inner Gate) is one of the most rigorously studied acupressure points; Cochrane systematic reviews have found evidence that P6 stimulation reduces post-operative and chemotherapy-induced nausea. It is also used for anxiety, palpitations, and emotional unease.
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- 02
2–3 minutes per side, before sleep or during anxiety
HT7 / Shenmen — Spirit Gate
Why it works · HT7 (Heart 7 / Shenmen, meaning Spirit Gate) is traditionally associated with calming the heart-mind and is used for anxiety, insomnia, and emotional agitation. Small trials of HT7 stimulation report improvements in sleep quality and self-reported anxiety, with the proposed mechanism involving modulation of the cardiac autonomic balance.
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- 03
2–3 minutes, as needed for anxiety or headache
Yintang — Third Eye / Hall of Impression
Why it works · Yintang is an extra point (not on a classical meridian) located at the glabella, between the eyebrows. Stimulation here activates the frontalis muscle and the supratrochlear nerve and is associated with rapid downregulation of cortical arousal; it is commonly used in acupuncture for stress, headache, and anxiety.
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- 04
2 minutes per side, as needed
LI4 / Hegu — Joining Valley
Why it works · LI4 (Large Intestine 4 / Hegu, meaning Joining Valley) is one of the most frequently used points in acupuncture and acupressure for pain, headache, and immune support. fMRI studies show LI4 stimulation produces deactivation of the limbic system, and it has been found to reduce labour pain and tension headache in multiple controlled trials.
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Take care
- LI4 is traditionally contraindicated during pregnancy, as it has been used to promote contractions. Avoid during pregnancy.
- 05
3–5 minutes, for headache, neck tension, or fatigue
GB20 / Fengchi — Wind Pool
Why it works · GB20 (Gallbladder 20 / Fengchi, meaning Wind Pool) is located at the base of the skull and its stimulation directly massages the suboccipital musculature and may influence blood flow to the posterior brain. It is widely used for tension headache, neck stiffness, and the feeling of heaviness or fogginess in the head.
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- 06
3–5 minutes per foot, for grounding, insomnia, or anxiety
KD1 / Yongquan — Bubbling Spring
Why it works · KD1 (Kidney 1 / Yongquan, meaning Bubbling Spring) is the first point on the Kidney meridian and is located at the base of the foot. Stimulation here is associated with grounding, calming excess upward energy (anxiety, insomnia, agitation), and connecting awareness to the earth. Its plantar location also engages high-density mechanoreceptors that feed proprioceptive input to the brain.
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- 07
2–3 minutes per side, for fatigue and digestive support
ST36 / Zusanli — Leg Three Miles
Why it works · ST36 (Stomach 36 / Zusanli, meaning Leg Three Miles — named for its legendary effect on walking endurance) is one of the most researched acupuncture points; studies have found stimulation here modulates immune cytokine levels, supports gastric motility, and increases parasympathetic tone. It is used in fatigue, poor appetite, and general debility.
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- 08
2 minutes per side, for irritability, emotional tension, or eye strain
LV3 / Taichong — Great Surge
Why it works · LV3 (Liver 3 / Taichong, meaning Great Surge) is located on the dorsum of the foot and is traditionally used for emotional irritability, headache at the vertex or temples, PMS, and eye strain. It is often combined with LI4 as the 'Four Gates' combination, a pairing used to move stagnant energy throughout the body and produce a broadly calming effect.
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