Could An Acupressure Mat Change Your Life?
Lying on a bed of nails is an ancient Indian mysticism practice — could modern-day versions have healing benefits?
An acupressure mat is a padded mat, a little narrower than a yoga mat, and about half the length. It is completely covered in round plastic disks which are spiked with “nails”. To use it, you simply lie flat on your back, with the nails digging into your skin. According to the experts, the needles stimulate pressure points that increase energy flow in the body, bringing you to a more balanced state. They are reported to help alleviate pain, improve blood flow, release tension and help you relax. You’re supposed to use them for 10 to 20 minutes every day for the best results.
Since I’m always looking for new ways to relax and relieve tension, I was keen to give this a try. I found a wide range of choices online, with a range of prices, but it seems the less expensive options were not as well-reviewed. I went for the Bed Of Nails branded mat for £70. It arrived nicely packaged and comes with a small bag to transport it, should you wish to go lie on a bed of nails at a friend’s house, or in the park. I had a choice of colours and went for a cheery pink colour. The matt itself doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s worth £70. It’s some foam padding with a pink cover covered in plastic disks, but I suppose some money has gone into research for the precise placement of the disks? That’s what I told myself anyway.
I found the most uncomfortable part of using the mat was getting onto it. It’s difficult to distribute your weight evenly across the nails as you lie down, leading to some scratching on the lower back as I got down. Once I was on it there was some prickling for a minute or two, which evened off quite quickly leaving me with a warm sensation, which was not unpleasant. I had a repeat of the issue when getting back up again, which left me with some lower back scratchiness, along with a feeling of relief, like taking off your bra at the end of a long day.
The first few times I used the mat, I wore a light t-shirt but found I was quickly able to transition to having my bare skin against the nails.
Once on the mat, I allowed my mind to wander a little and tried not to focus on the prickling on my back. When my ten-minute timer went off, I was pretty sure I’d dozed off a little bit, and had that fuzzy-mouthed feeling you sometimes get after a nap. I’ve found the best use of the mat is right before bed as it helps me fall asleep faster and get better sleep. I’m not sure I’ve noticed any difference in blood flow or tension, and I don’t have any chronic pain problems. I’m attributing the positive effects on sleep to getting away from any pre-bedtime stimulation, such as watching TV or doomscrolling. I could probably have saved myself £70 and just meditated for 20 minutes, but the mat did give my sessions a little bit of focus. It’s easier to keep your mind from wandering with the sensations of hundreds of nails digging into your back.
Ultimately, I’m not convinced these mats are worth shelling out for, and I don’t find myself using mine regularly. This might be because we’re currently in winter in the UK and the thought of lying on the floor half-naked is not very appealing when I could be getting into a warm bed. That said I have found myself reaching for it in times of stress, or when I’m having a bit of a home spa session, so I’m not ready to throw it out quite yet.
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