Give yourself a pat on the back: you're about to do something wonderful for your body! You can also find special exercises for the acupressure mats for athletes(running, cycling, fitness studio, soccer and hiking) here on our blog.

First of all, we would like to share with you that the Shakti experience is very different for everyone. 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 don't let this put you off.

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

On this page, you can find out how to use your acupressure mat correctly, how you can use your Shakti Mat in a variety of ways and which areas of your body you can treat with it.

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

To give you a better understanding of our Shakti Mat and how to use it, we asked yoga teacher and Shakti friend Nico if she would help us with a video series on how to use it. You will therefore find a video by Nico for each important area. Have fun watching! A short introduction is already available here:

What happens in your body: As soon as you lie down on the mat, the first thing that happens is that your circulation improves. You can feel this because your back becomes pleasantly warm and starts to tingle. After about 5 minutes, your body starts to produce happiness hormones. Above all, this ensures that the tips feel less sharp and you can go even deeper into relaxation.

Duration:

20 minutes or longer

We recommend you:

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

Our expert tip:

Integrate the Shakti Mat into your bedtime routine. Simply lie on it in bed before falling asleep and listen to a few relaxing sounds (for example, our Shakti Mat playlist on Soundcloud or our meditation on YouTube) - many people fall asleep more deeply and soundly this way.

Frequently asked questions:

• How long should you lie on an acupressure mat?
  The duration of use of the Shakti Mat can vary between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on which areas of the body are being treated.
• What are the benefits of an acupressure mat? Our Shakti Mat stimulates acupressure points, which can have a calming and relaxing effect.
• What can you treat with the acupressure mat? Using a Shakti Mat is suitable for several areas of the body, such as the back, neck & shoulders, legs & feet, stomach and chest or even the face and forehead.

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.

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

Duration :

5 minutes or longer

We recommend:

If your feet are sensitive, simply start with thin socks and the balls of your feet until you feel confident enough to go completely barefoot on the Shakti Mat. For your legs, it is best to place your Shakti Mat 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.

You can find even more tips and knowledge about acupressure and reflex zones in the article"Strong, healthy feet thanks to acupressure mat".

With the Shakti Mat and the Shakti Pillow you can finally declare war on your neck and shoulder tension. Simply roll up your Shakti Mat and lie on it with the tense areas. Alternatively, you can also use your Shakti Pillow - it is specially shaped so that it also hits the tricky spots. We promise!

Duration :

10 minutes or longer

We recommend:

Simply roll up your mat or place a rolled-up towel underneath it to make it a little more stable. The Pillow 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. 
• Releasing 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; 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 cushion lengthwise on the back for the area between the shoulder blades or on the feet.

Office jobs and sedentary activities in particular can quickly tire our hands and forearms. After a long day at the laptop or PC, they can often feel heavy or numb. Or do you like climbing? Then you are probably familiar with these particularly tired hands and arms.

A Shakti session can almost give you wings and make your hands and arms light again.

Duration :

15 minutes or longer

We recommend:

Place your Shakti Mat or your Shakti Pillow in front of you and rest your hands and arms on it. Try it with your hands first and then feel your way onto your forearms. Of course, this works wonderfully with both sides of your arms. 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:

The Shakti Mat can also help you with indigestion or tightness in the chest area. The best way to do this is to lie on your stomach or chest on the mat. Please be very careful here! The abdominal and chest areas in particular are very sensitive and it is therefore all the more important that you lie down very carefully.

Duration :

10 minutes or longer

We recommend:

At the beginning, you should definitely place a light cloth between your body and the mat or put on a thin top. This way you can carefully feel your way to 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 lots of fun with the exercises and wonderful moments of relaxation when using your Shakti Mat!