When I first set eyes on an acupressure mat for the very first time, I was curious. Could something that spiky actually feel good? And, pointy things - um, hello? Wouldn't it hurt to lie on all of those spikes?
But my curiosity prevailed that day - and I'm forever grateful it did. After making a few little tweaks to make my initial sessions as comfortable as possible, I've never looked back.
Over time, through a little practice and experimentation, I've learned that the acupressure mat is absolutely a happiness booster. Sure, we all want to feel a little less frayed around the edges and a little more zen (without feeling the need to reach for alcohol or losing hours to mindless scrolling in order to self-soothe). But, what I discovered transcended that.
If you're new to acupressure mats, this is definitely something to read. But, even if you consider yourself a seasoned pro, the following might help you garner further benefits from your acupressure mat.
Here's how I made my Spikeology acupressure mat work for me, and how it ultimately makes me feel happier and healthier.
Spikeology acupressure mat as a meditation tool to cultivate stillness in my day
As a mum, wife and business owner, I felt like I was always rushing from one thing to the next. My mind was constantly whirring away, planning, thinking... Perhaps this sounds familiar to you? Yes, I'd read the books and listened to the podcasts, so I knew about the benefits of cultivating stillness. But, in my 'always on' life, sitting still felt really difficult when all those mental loops were running through my mind.
But, I've found that my Spikeology acupressure mat to be the perfect partner for my meditation sessions. I don't do anything particularly fancy, I simply use a variety of meditation apps. I've tried many of them from Headspace and Calm, to those on the Peleton app and meditation music on Youtube, and choose according to my mood.
The Spikeology acupressure mat instantly develops that mind-body connection, and brings me to the present moment, stilling my mind.
And in the same way that the yoga mat grounds you to your practice and to the 'now', so does the acupressure mat. It's the place where I do my meditation. Through ritual and practice, meditating while lying down on my Spikeology acupressure mat has strengthened my meditation habit. It's finally made it an actual habit. For me, it definitely helps that being more relaxed (thanks spikes!) fosters a far better state of mind for meditation.
I've also taken my Spikeology acupressure mat to a gong meditation class and it honestly felt like pure bliss. For anyone that enjoys gong meditation, this is 100% a must-try if you're ready to add a big dose of intensity to the experience.
Spikeology acupressure mat as a recovery tool to become fitter and stronger
Recovery is an essential part of any exercise regime. Hands up if you knew that already... Right, I know, it's not really a secret. So, why's it one of the first things we let slip when life gets busy?
That was me before, but not now. I've found my Spikeology acupressure mat super beneficial as a recovery tool.
I love the sense of freedom from running outdoors. I'm currently training for my next half marathon, which was rescheduled due to a lockdown last year. After long runs, I love using the acupressure mat on my calves and feet. Especially on the achy soles of my feet, it feels incredibly soothing. It's a great feeling knowing that the increased blood flow allows fresh nutrients and oxygens to be delivered to the muscles within my feet, and helping me feel fresher faster and reducing risk of injury.
The acupressure mat has also been a game changer for easing muscle tension in my upper back and shoulders, which can feel tight and sore after strength-based workouts. Using the mat definitely helps me feel fresher faster and I've been able to work those same muscle groups more frequently, which has seen me make pretty good progress.
The great thing is that the mat is doing double duty, as I'm doing the meditation and recovery at the same time. Somehow, this feels like the most satisfying thing in the world!
Spikeology acupressure mat is teaching me to let go of attachment to a specific outcome
So, something curious happened several months into using my acupressure mat. I'd developed a bit of a ritual involving aromatherapy oils and guided meditations on my noise cancelling headphones. "I'm just going to use my mat" I'd declare to my family, heading upstairs. That 20 minutes felt like the promise of a mini retreat, me-time. I really looked forward to it.
Some sessions would feel almost euphoric, which is quite hard to explain unless you've experienced it... but naturally, that feeling made me want to experience more of it.
One day though, I realised that I found myself feeling impatient for the sense of 'release' to come, trying to rush it along. With this, an almost imperceptible kernel of frustration had appeared.
It dawned on me then that I'd stopped leaning into the experience in the moment, and I'd become become too attached to 'achieving' a specific outcome: that almost-euphoric release.
So, I consciously let go of the expectation, of becoming too attached to achieving a certain state, and the upshot is, it's made feel happier.
As Wayne Dyer said “Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than how you think it should be.”
And that's it, I think. I'm certain I can apply this lesson to other areas of my life. I just need to reflect on it a bit more, and I think my Spikeology acupressure mat will help me with that.