28 May 2024 , 02:00
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There are few things more frustrating than lying in bed, counting down the hours until you need to be wake up, only to feel wide awake.
Almost one in five people aren't getting enough sleep in the UK, according to Mental Health UK. There are many things that can cause you to lie awake at night, from drinking alcohol or caffeine too close to bedtime, to stress and anxious thoughts.
But because poor sleep and insomnia can affect your physical and mental health, it's important to try to do something about it. And luckily, one doctor has shared an incredible hack to help you "fall asleep faster tonight" using acupressure.
Acupressure is a type of massage therapy where manual pressure is applied to specific points of the body. These techniques aim to decrease pain, clear tension in muscles or increase blood flow. And apparently, there's one spot that can help you fall asleep faster.
Qianlei Li, a board-certified Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Licensed Acupuncturist, showed the point you need to press in a recent video on her TikTok page. According to the health expert, you can do this on either hand.
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The area you want to press is the 'web' area between your thumb and index finger. Qianlei said to 'find the meaty part' and take the same fingers on the opposite hand, and "pinch down hard" for three to five minutes, while you're lying in bed.
"Keep your eyes closed. Focus your mind on the point," she added. While some people said they had tried the method and it hadn't worked, others found it sent them to sleep.
"Omg it worked," said one TikTok user. Another added: "As soon as I pressed it I started to yawn. What a fantastic idea." And a third said: "Did this and was snoring in three minutes. You're amazing. Thanks dear."
According to sleep expert Sammy Margo, there are also other pressure points that can help with sleep. Writing for Dreams, one of the points she recommends is the 'inner frontier gate', which is located on the inner wrist, close to where you would measure for pulse.
Sammy said: "This pressure point for sleep is really easy to incorporate into your bedtime routine. You'll find it in the dip between the two tendons in your wrist. Gently apply a little pressure to your wrist with your thumb and you'll notice two obvious tendons. The spot in between these two is the inner frontier gate.
"As it doesn't require any uncomfortable manoeuvring to reach, it's one you can keep applying pressure to until you drift off into a dreamy slumber. Massage this pressure point with a circular motion for a few minutes before sleep."
Have you tried either of these before? Let us know in the comment section below.