Stress Awareness Day is a reminder of one of the biggest challenges of the modern lifestyle: stress. Did you know that a little good “pressure” can help instead?
On the occasion of Stress Awareness Day, Five Element acupuncturist Johnny Childs shares his favourite acupressure points that actively relieve stress.
What Is Stress Awareness Day?
National Stress Awareness Day is a global event founded in 1988 by Carole Spiers, the chairperson of the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), and sponsored by this registered charity. This day falls on the first Wednesday in November each year to spread the word about stress and its signs and promote effective stress management, both in professional and daily life.
Stress remains one of the biggest challenges to our collective well-being in the UK, with 9 in 10 adults in the UK having experienced high to extreme levels of stress at various times in their lives.
Johnny Childs’ 3 Acupressure Points to Relieve Signs of Stress
To support the conversation, Five Element acupuncturist Johnny Childs has pulled together some of his favourite pressure points that can be used at home, at work, or even at school to help relieve the feeling of stress. Gentle acupressure can be a simple, accessible way to calm the nervous system, ease tension, and restore balance in the moment.
Here are Johnnyโs go-to pressure points:
- Heart 7 (Spirit Gate): On the little-finger side of the wrist crease. Press or massage for 1โ2 minutes to quiet the mind and encourage restful sleep. Its essence is opening the heart to peace, warmth, and connection.
- Bladder 1 (Bright Eyes): In the inner corner of the eye. With clean fingers and eyes closed, gently massage in clockwise circles to ease strain and refresh your perspective. Its essence is clarity and renewed vision.
- Gallbladder 20 (Wind Pond): At the base of the skull. Press upwards and inwards to release tightness and soothe tension headaches. Its essence is like opening a quiet channel, dispelling stagnant tension and inviting in clear, fresh energy, as if the storm clouds have lifted.
A note from Valentina: “Trying ‘Bright Eyes‘ at the end of a weekday felt like splashing my face with cold water, but I didn’t expect to feel a wave of calm energy and relief through my spine by massaging the ‘Spirit Gate’ point on my wrist. These pressure points really opened my eyes to how the mind and body are connected!“
About Johnny Childs
With over a decade of clinical experience, Johnny Childs is a leading Five Element Acupuncturist practising at both Liberty London and the acclaimed Kite Clinic with a loyal, high-profile clientele. As the original apprentice to renowned master Gerad Kite, Johnny has developed a deeply intuitive and transformative approach to acupuncture that integrates ancient Chinese philosophy with a modern understanding of emotional and physical health.
If stress feels like being trapped in a spiral โ where your mood and energy go only one way, downwards โ you’ll be surprised by how these simple, yet focused, massages provide a sense of instant relief.
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