chi, or energy, in the body by stimulat- ing key points along its energy merid- ians, or pathways. While acupuncture uses needles that puncture the skin and requires a visit to a professional, acupressure stimulates via points on the skin’s surface and can be part of a self- care practice.


“When acupressure points are stimulated, they release muscular ten- sion, promote circulation of blood and enhance the body’s life force energy to aid healing,” explains Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., founder of the Acupres- sure Institute, in Berkeley, California, and author of Acupressure’s Potent Points: A Guide to Self-Care for Com- mon Ailments. To relax the neck and relieve ten-


sion headaches, use the point at the base of the skull, just where the head attaches to the neck. Feel for the hollow between the two thick, vertical muscle masses—finding and pressing it will probably elicit a sigh. Put one or both thumbs in that hollow and apply gentle pressure for one to two minutes.


Refresh Perhaps the problem isn’t stress, but a feeling of weariness or listlessness. According to Atlanta psychiatrist Tracey Marks, a medical doctor and author of the new book, Master Your Sleep: Proven Methods Simplified, the con- tinuous flow of electronic information in our smartphone lifestyles may be overstimulating our brains. The first step to refreshing and replenishing is to log off. In short, she says, “Off-hours create better on-hours.”


Go Solo Psychologist Ester Schaler Buchholz, Ph.D., author of The Call of Solitude, believes that “alonetime” is a basic need. She supports this belief with a series of infant studies, analysis of historical and anthropological data, and research examining how meditation and rest bolster the immune system. “When we don’t get enough solitude,” she observes. “We get out of touch with ourselves; we get forgetful; we get sloppy.” We may also get angry, anxious and depressed. Take a daily, refreshing, mini-


retreat by stepping away from the rest of


the world for 15 minutes. Find a room with a door and turn off all electronics… then read a book, write a letter, meditate, or just close your eyes and listen to the silence.


Sleep


“Sleep ends up being one of those things we see as expendable,” says Marks. Yet, a growing body of studies from Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine and other research institutions shows that it is crucial to your mental and physical health, as well as many of the body’s major restor- ative functions, including tissue repair, muscle growth and protein synthesis. New findings by Beth Israel Deacon- ess Medical Center even show that the brain uses sleep to consolidate memo- ries and make them more accessible when we’re awake. “We should really think of ourselves


as operating on a 16-hour battery,” Marks advises, because we must recharge our- selves in order to perform well. Signs of sleep deprivation include irritable moods and an inability to concentrate. Marks’ Countdown to Bedtime


routine starts an hour beforehand. Put away the work and turn off the com- puter. Stop drinking fluids. Take a warm bath or footbath and don pajamas. Read, meditate or listen to music to wind down. Adjust the bedroom temperature to between 68 and 74 degrees and turn off all lights and electronics, covering their LED displays. If it takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel drowsy. “If your mind is busy, write out your thoughts on a problem-solving worksheet,” she suggests.


Get Outside Time and again, it has been proven that nature heals. One researcher, from the University of Southern California, has found that even just gazing at a natural landscape, sunset or grove of trees from a window can activate endorphins in the brain that make us feel good. Get- ting outside is even better. Integrative Psychiatrist Henry Emmons, a physician


and author of The Chem- istry of Joy, explains that sunlight provides us with vitamin D, which he notes, “… plays a role in many physiological processes, includ- ing moods.” Emmons’ prescription: at least 30 minutes outside daily, without glasses, which can filter out healing components of sunlight. Neuroimmunologist and physi- cian Esther Sternberg, author of Heal- ing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-Being, points to an extensive body of research showing that the colors, pat- terns and scents of natural environments affect mental and physical well-being. She recommends spending time in gar- dens and growing your own plants, even if only a window box of herbs.


Release You can’t move forward if you’ve got something holding you back. Some- times what you need is to let go of whatever’s weighing you down—even if you don’t quite know what it is. Here are feel-good ways to let go of physical and emotional stagnation.


Make Noise Many Eastern and Western sacred tradi- tions utilize the healing power of sound through chants, songs, hymns and mantras; but the science behind sound healing is solid. According to Sound Healer Tom Kenyon, the repetitive pat- terns of music and chant stimulate the reticular activating system in the brain, which can induce a mild, trancelike state. Making sounds and music is even more transformative than just listening. “The way music helps us release is that it helps us remember a little bit more of who we are,” advises soprano


natural awakenings February 2011 27


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