Life & Health
This Acupressure Mat Makes Back Pain, Insomnia, And Stress Seem Like NBD
August 8, 2018 by Susannah Breslin | Advertorial
Who knew lying on a bed of nails would be so relaxing?
Acupuncture has been a small miracle for my back pain, stress, and intermittent insomnia.
So when I found out about this acupressure mat, and saw that it promised to address all my woes (and then some!) from the comfort of my home, I knew I had to give it a try.

Lists of the things acupressure mats can do are a lot... Lying on one for 15 minutes a day with bare skin can help fibromyalgia, varicose veins, systemic muscle tension, generalized aches and pains, and stress in general, according to Robert Doane, clinical director of Modern Acupuncture. The mat's needle-like projections gently stimulate the sensory nerves all over your back, legs, and arms to flood your bloodstream and pain receptor sites with endorphins and enkephalins, decreasing pain, increasing blood circulation, and ultimately relaxing you.

Acupressure mats aren't exactly like doing acupuncture: unlike acupuncture, the mat's needles don't puncture the skin, so the effect is more general than the targeted one that you'd get with acupuncture, but they both do use point stimulation to help the body heal itself naturally.
This one has 6,210 (!) pressure points and a lot of incredibly positive reviews.
Beginners are supposed to prop the mat against a chair or sofa and lean against it for 15 minutes to get used to the feeling of the points. Intermediate users can put the mat on a couch or bed before lying on top of it for 20-45 minutes to get a little extra cushion. And advanced users are advised to place the mat on hard floor and lie directly on top of it for 45 minutes or more. The instructions also suggest standing barefoot on the mat for five minutes for headache relief.
I've done acupuncture a bunch of times, but never used a mat, so I started with the beginner level, for good measure.
I decided to use the mat at night, as the instructions say that "using the mat in the evening relaxes the body while promoting stress relief after a long day and prepares the body and mind for sleep." Sign. Me. Up. I leaned against it for 10-ish minutes while watching TV and I didn't feel noticeably more relaxed afterward, but it did feel nice while I did it.
The next day, I skipped the intermediate level and went all in — and this time, I actually saw the light.
I was having period cramps that were giving me major back pain that day, so I lay on the mat on the floor without a shirt on and did a 15-minute guided meditation. I was low-key worried that lying on a mat of pointy plastic needles would hurt, but it really didn't. In fact, for the first few minutes I barely felt anything and readjusted so I could actually feel it on my back. The 15 minutes went by really quickly — I was lying on the floor, with the lights out and a candle on, and man, when it was over, I felt BLISSED. OUT. I was so relaxed and loose and felt just like I did after really really good acupuncture sessions, and my cramps felt a lot better by the time I was done.
That experience was so gratifying that I started working the mat into my nightly routine: now, I either do a guided meditation while lying on it, or watch some TV.
One caveat: If you're laying on the mat properly, you will get a burning sensation in your back, but Doane told me that that's caused by an increase in blood flow, so it's completely normal and actually good for overall health — because once the initial "WTF is happening, my back is on fire" fear wears off, you feel like you're on a heating pad.

I don't know if it was the mat or the fact that it was a Friday night at the end of a long week, but I was WIPED OUT afterward. Like, I crawled into bed and could barely keep my eyes open for the rest of a Real Housewives episode I'd seen twice already, so...thanks, mat, I guess?
Overall, the mat has brought a lot of relaxation and chill vibes into my life.
Whether I'm meditating, watching TV, or scrolling through Instagram, lying on it makes me feel so great that I don't want to get up. My body feels so loosey-goosey and good when I'm done — my back, shoulder, and neck pain are definitely still an issue, but noticeably less so — and I have been sleeping like a rock. My nightly routine may be a little more elaborate now, but I'm not complaining.
**UPDATE: You won't believe it
From the publication of this article, Master Mats representatives got in touch with us to discuss a massive promotion. If you order Master Acupressure Mat now, you get free shipping and 30% OFF. But be in quick for this offer won't last.