Acupressure mat - application and exercises for the body

How to use the acupressure mat

• Relaxation for your back
• Happy feet and legs
• Loose neck and shoulders
• Light hands and forearms
• Soothing for belly and chest
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Give yourself a pat on the back: you're about to do something wonderful for your body! Special exercises for the acupressure mats for athletes(running, cycling, fitness studio, soccer and hiking) can also be found here on our blog.

The ShaktiCushion on the left and the ShaktiMat on the right develop a relaxing effect after 20 minutes of use

First of all, we would like to share with you that the Shakti experience is different for each person. For some, the first time on the acupressure mat is already relaxing, while others need a little longer for the positive effect to fully unfold. Please do not let this unsettle you.

We can tell you from experience that your body will gradually get used to the acupressure tips. Give it the time it needs and it will soon be able to relax completely.

On this page you will learn how to use your acupressure mat correctly, how many different ways you can use your ShaktiMat and which areas of your body you can treat with it.

If you want to share your experiences with other acupressure mat fans, you can join our Facebook group here.

To give you a better understanding of our ShaktiMat and how to use it, we asked yoga teacher and ShaktiFriend Nico to help us with a video series on how to use it. For each important area you will find a video by Nico. Have fun watching! A short introduction is already available here:

Acupressure mat - back

The ShaktiMat(ShaktiMat Acupressure Mat for Beginners - Yellow left, ShaktiMat Acupressure Mat Premium - Black right) develop a relaxing effect after 20 minutes of use. The length of the acclimatization period is individual.

What's going on in your body: As soon as you lie down on the mat, the first thing that improves is your blood circulation. You will feel this because your back will become warm and tingly. After about 5 minutes your body starts to produce happy hormones. This mainly ensures that the tips feel less sharp and you can go even deeper into relaxation.

Duration: 20 minutes or longer

We recommend you go to:

A daily routine can help you loosen fascia and tight muscles for a long time. Remember, building any routine takes effort and time. It is said that it takes the body an average of 21 days to get used to an action.

Our expert tip: Incorporate the ShaktiMat into your bedtime routine. Just lie on it in bed before you go to sleep and listen to some relaxing sounds (for example, our ShaktiMat playlist on Soundcloud or our meditation on YouTube) - many people fall asleep more deeply and firmly this way.

That's what you have to look forward to:

• A pleasant state of deep relaxation.
• Muscular relaxation, relief for the spine and pinched nerves, and improved circulation, which can help reduce back pain. 
• Noticeable stress reduction. And this comes just in time, because unfortunately chronic stress is nowadays one of the main causes of a large number of physical and psychological ailments.

Acupressure mat - feet and legs

Standing on the ShaktiMat can provide the necessary vitality for the perfect start of the day after long days or in the morning while brushing your teeth.

Standing on your ShaktiMat stimulates your nervous system and wakes you up. You can take time for this in the morning while brushing your teeth, for example. It promotes blood circulation in tired feet and joints. It gives your body a real foot reflex massage.

Duration: 5 minutes or longer

We recommend:

If your feet are sensitive, start with thin socks and the balls of your feet until you dare to walk barefoot on the ShaktiMat. For the legs, place your ShaktiMat on a thick pillow to elevate your legs. You can also wrap the mat around your legs, as many athletes do.

That's what you have to look forward to:

• A refreshing feeling, about like you just got a really good foot massage.
• Promote your blood circulation in legs and feet.  
• More strength and energy for the day. 
• A reflexology treatment for your whole body.

For even more tips and knowledge on acupressure and reflexology, check out the article "Strong, healthy feet thanks to acupressure mat".

Acupressure mat - neck and shoulders

For the neck and shoulders, the acupressure pillow is perfect, but for starters, a rolled-up ShaktiMat or a towel under it can also suffice.

With the ShaktiMat and the ShaktiPillow you can finally fight your neck and shoulder tension. Simply roll up your ShaktiMat and lie down on it with the tense areas. Alternatively, you can also use your ShaktiPillow - it is specially shaped so that it also hits the tricky spots. That's a promise!

Duration: 10 minutes or longer

We recommend:

Just roll up your mat or place a rolled up towel under it, so it seems a bit more stable. The cushion may seem a little harder at first, but the motto here is also: wait and see and slowly get your body used to the spikes in the neck and shoulder area.

That's what you have to look forward to:

• Immediate relief from annoying shoulder and neck tension.
• Quick help for stress and tension related headaches and migraines.
• A pleasant feeling of warmth in the neck and shoulder area thanks to the greatly improved blood circulation. 
• Release of endorphins, your body's natural feel-good hormones. On the one hand, symptoms of stress and tension-related headaches and migraines are alleviated thanks to the release of endorphins, and on the other hand, physiological causes can be combated through improved blood circulation and muscle relaxation.

On the one hand, symptoms of headaches and migraines are alleviated thanks to the release of endorphins, and on the other hand, physiological causes can be combated through improved blood circulation and muscle relaxation.
Another tip: You can also use your Shakti acupressure pillow lengthwise on your back for the area between the shoulder blades or on your feet.

Acupressure mat - hands and arms

For example, sit comfortably at the table and put the mat on it or combine the whole thing with a yoga exercise, as shown in the picture. Your hands and arms will enjoy the massage on the acupressure mat.

Especially office jobs and activities in a sitting position cause our hands and forearms to tire quickly. Especially after a long day of work on the laptop or PC, they can often feel heavy or numb. Or do you like climbing? Then you probably know these particularly tired hands and arms as well.
A ShaktiSession can almost give you wings and make your hands and arms feel light again.

Duration: 15 minutes or longer

We recommend:

Place your ShaktiMat or ShaktiCushion in front of you and rest your hands and arms on it. Try it with your hands first and then feel your way to your forearms. This works wonderfully with both sides of the arms, of course. You can't imagine how liberating this can feel after a long day at work!

That's what you have to look forward to:

• Light fingers, hands and forearms. 
• Relaxation after a hard day's work. 
• Prevention of numbness when working with hands and forearms. 

In addition, our colleague Nora has prepared a video for you, in which you can learn even more about the most important acupressure points on the hands:  

Acupressure mat - abdomen and chest

Lying frontally on the ShaktiMat can produce incredibly pleasant relaxation after long days or an intense workout. 

The ShaktiMat can also help you with digestive problems or tightness in the chest area. To do this, lie down on the mat in a prone position or with your chest. Please be careful! Especially the abdominal and chest area are very sensitive and therefore it is even more important that you touch yourself very carefully.

Duration: 10 minutes or longer

We recommend:

In the beginning you should put a light cloth between your body and the mat or put on a thin top. This way you can carefully approach "the right dose" for you. 

That's what you have to look forward to:

• Feeling of warmth and relief from digestive discomfort. 
• Relaxation for restlessness and stress in the chest area. 
• Preventing feelings of panic. 
• A massage after an intense core workout.

We wish you a lot of fun with the exercises and wonderful moments of relaxation while using your ShaktiMat!