Rolling restlessly from one side to the other. Staring into the darkness with open eyes or looking at the glowing screen of a smartphone in the depths of the night. Countless people suffer from sleep problems. We have already put together exercises on the topic of"Relieving sleep disorders with the acupressure mat". But the topic is more topical than ever.
Content
1. sleep problems can affect anyone
3. three exercises with the acupressure mat for sleep problems
Sleep problems can affect anyone
Since the start of the coronavirus crisis, many people have been worrying more and more and lying awake at night brooding. Fears about their own health, losing their job or being completely overworked, physical impairments due to working from home, which is often not ergonomically suitable, and the additional burden of permanent childcare while still having to work, and so much more. 2020 and 2021 have sent body and soul into an absolutely exceptional situation for many people.
A study conducted in Sweden in 2020 found that women are particularly affected by sleep problems. They were ahead of men in every single age group surveyed. A further analysis of the data showed that among women over the age of 45, around eleven percent were even affected by particularly severe sleep disorders.
To give you a little more insight into the topic of sleep, we interviewed sleep coach Christoph von der Malsburg. And following the interview, we've put together three new exercises to complement our first article on sleep and acupressure.
Interview with sleep expert Christoph von der Malsburg about sleep and the Shakti Mat acupressure mat
Sleep coach and entrepreneur Christoph von der Malsburg has been working intensively on the topic of sleep and how it affects our everyday lives for many years. He provides support on the topic of sleep, coaches athletes, gives workshops and speaks at events.
Dear Christoph, could you briefly tell our readers who you are and why the topic of sleep is so close to your heart?
Christoph: As an entrepreneur, coach and speaker, I am committed to sleep in various ways. I support top athletes, clubs, companies, employees, managers and anyone who wants to improve their sleep. I am also involved in various projects that support this work. These include online coaching, chronobiology and sleep technologies. I also have a podcast 'sleepchat', which I enjoy running.
Sleep has become a huge topic. Working with sleep is challenging and very multifaceted. Everyone lives differently, eats differently, feels differently and sleeps differently. In addition, sleep is far from being fully understood, so there are still many developments and new topics. All of this makes my work very exciting, varied, challenging and sometimes emotional - I like this mix.
What experiences have you had with the Shakti Mat?
Christoph: First of all, I didn't have any specific expectations, except perhaps to get rid of a permanent tension in my neck that I'd had since a cycling accident a year ago. I could only imagine what effect the mat would have on my sleep.
I have been using the Shakti Mat every day for 3 months now and it is pure relaxation. The blood circulation gives me a very pleasant feeling, also emotionally. I drift away and am in a completely different mode for 20 minutes. That's important, especially when we think about sleep at night. When I get up on the mat in the morning, it gives me a boost of energy for the day. A good day leads to a good night. The mat can contribute a lot to this.
And my neck pain has also gone in the meantime. Of course, I'm totally happy about that.
In your opinion, how can the Shakti Mat positively influence sleep and which exercises do you find particularly helpful?
Christoph: It's important to know that there are many indirect influences that can have a positive effect on sleep. Of course, this is very individual. I have summarized the function of sleep. 90% of changes happen during the day because we can influence them better. If we go to sleep well prepared, then we sleep better.
The feeling and constitution of body and mind play a very important role in this context. We are all familiar with thoughts, feelings and physical restlessness that prevent us from sleeping. It is important to take care of this during the day.
This means that if you take care of your feelings and physical needs during the day, you will be much more relaxed at night and sleep better.my exercises tend to be the two classics: lying on the mat with my back and neck and standing on it in the morning. I often put them under my feet when I'm sitting at my desk for a long time.
Do you have any tips for anyone who wants to try the Shakti Mat for better sleep but is still held back by the thought of the tips?
Christoph: I think you have to differentiate between pain and injury. Of course, the tips look and feel wild at first. But I can only confirm that the feeling subsides after 5 minutes. After a while you get used to the feeling anyway, because you know what to expect.
It also works to get used to it slowly. It's best to start in bed, perhaps with a T-shirt on, then onto a softer surface without a T-shirt and at some point you can lie down on a hard floor. I lay down directly on the floor. I wanted to take everything with me. But it's best for everyone to do it the way that suits them.
How do you recommend using the mat to prepare for sleep after a long day? Do you have any specific examples from your daily work?
Christoph: The mat is really helpful for people who are often exposed to a lot of stress - athletes, mothers, employees. As the mat has such a noticeable and extensive influence on many physical and mental aspects, the Shakti Mat is a simple and very effective way to relax.
The mat can be very supportive, especially at lunchtime during a power nap. It increases recovery even more. At least that's my experience.
If you are physically challenged, then I would definitely schedule the mat in the early evening. The additional blood circulation promotes regeneration. A calm and relaxed body sleeps much better. I would use the mat with some distance to go to sleep, because I would basically shut down all stimuli before falling asleep. But that's probably up to everyone, since the calming effect is also sleep-promoting.
Can you tell our readers your best tips that people can implement on their own to improve their sleep?
Christoph: It's important to make the most of the day, be active, do some physical exertion, get some sun and make sure you eat a balanced diet. In the evening, I would generally avoid heavy meals. All in all, this increases your sleep pressure during the day, which is important so that you get tired naturally in the evening.
Then I recommend paying attention to your own sleep type and trying to go to bed and get up in this rhythm as often as possible. As is well known, there are late and early types, but many are also so-called normal types.
Thirdly, for anyone who doesn't fall asleep well, I recommend shutting down the system about 90 minutes before going to sleep, with reduced exposure to light, especially from laptops and smartphones, but also the TV. It is best to develop routines that are calming, good for you and also fun. They don't always have to be the same - meditation, breathing exercises, a conversation, reading, knitting - whatever makes you feel good!
If you could just share two sentences about sleep for everyone reading this. What would they be?
Christoph: When I talk about the night, I'm talking about the day. Sleep is actually quite simple, we just have to leave it alone.
We would like to thank Christoph von der Malsburg very much for the interview and the wealth of information on the subject of sleep, which affects everyone's everyday life.
Three exercises with the acupressure mat for sleep problems
Sleeping means coming to rest. Little stimulation and deep relaxation are important in order to slip into a restful sleep. But what can you do if you wake up with racing thoughts and are still lying awake under complete tension?
There are many people who find it easier to let go of the thoughts of the day when they engage their body more so that the carousel in their head doesn't take over. Try it out and see if you are one of those people!
Exercise 1: Half-and-half - distracting the noisy brain with acupressure
The half-and-half exercise can help quiet your noisy head a little by giving in to your brain's urge to engage in a physical, rather than mental, way.
To do this, place half your body on the mat at a time as follows:
Start first on the right side with the shoulder and back area and then move a little further down to the buttocks and thighs. Breathe 10-20 deep, slow breaths at a time while the tips help your body with circulation. Then switch to the left side and repeat the exercise.
Exercise 2: Foot warmer
While brushing your teeth, stand on the acupressure mat for about 30-60 seconds with your whole feet (preferably wearing socks, unless you are already an experienced Shakti fan) and let the tips work in vigorously.
You then move forward on the mat and only stand on it with your heels. This stimulates acupressure points, which are used to treat lower back problems and sleep problems.
Exercise 3: Crossing arms
This exercise is especially helpful for people who wake up at night with ice-cold hands or tingling arms.
Lie on your back in bed and place the Shakti Mat lengthwise on your stomach. Now cross your arms - with your palms turned towards the tips - on the mat and hold it with gentle pressure as if you were holding a Pillow in front of your chest. If you feel comfortable, you can also make tiny circular or wiggling movements to stimulate the circulation even more. Breathe deeply 10-40 times during the exercise, depending on how long you feel comfortable.
You can also find more specific acupressure exercises in our article "Alleviating sleep disorders with the acupressure mat".
We wish you restful nights after a relaxing session with the Shakti Mat. If you would like to discuss the topics of sleeping better with an acupressure mat or acupressure for sleep disorders and give other affected people tips or ask questions, visit us in our Facebook group.