Struggling with Sleep? Try Shiatsu, Acupressure, and Qi Gong

Struggling with Sleep? Try Shiatsu, Acupressure, and Qi Gong

Powerful Points and Meridian Flows

 Understanding Sleep Disruptions Through Chinese Medicine

I’m excited to share some amazing insights from a recent podcast interview, where we dived deep into sleep issues, Chinese medicine, and the impact of Menopause and COVID-19 . If you’ve ever struggled with sleep, especially post-COVID, this blog and the video podcast is for you!

A Personal Story: From Sleepless Nights to Sweet Dreams

One of our lovely community members shared her personal journey of battling insomnia after recovering from COVID-19. Before COVID, she never had trouble sleeping, but post-recovery, she found herself waking up soon after falling asleep. The frustration of lying awake at night became a constant struggle.

She also her experience of a traumatic childbirth with her second child, which resulted in septicaemia and a highly stressful period. This past shock, combined with her recent Covid experience, seems to be affecting her sleep.

She tried magnesium supplements, which helped a bit, but her sleep remained fragmented. She practiced Yoga Nidra, a form of guided meditation, which worked wonders initially, but she still woke up frequently. Sound familiar?

Menopause and Sleep: A Roller Coaster Ride

Our conversation also touched upon the challenges of menopause. Many women, including our guest, experience mood swings and sleep disturbances during this phase. It’s not just about the hormones but also how our mind and body process these changes.

Chinese medicine offers a unique perspective, emphasizing the interconnectedness of our organs and emotions. The heart and small intestine, for instance, plays a crucial role in how we experience, integrate and transform shock and trauma. These experiences can ripple through our system, affecting our sleep and overall well-being.

Embracing Chinese Medicine: Building a Home for the Heart

In Chinese medicine, insomnia is often seen as a problem of the blood and the heart. Our spirit, (Shen in Chinese Medicine) needs a peaceful home in the heart to settle in for the night. If the heart is unsettled, sleep becomes elusive. Here are some tips we discussed in the Podcast to help calm the heart and promote better sleep:

Qi Gong: Incorporating these practices into your bedtime routine can be very beneficial. They help calm the nervous system and create a sense of inner peace. (sign up for the free class at the end of this blog/plus there’s a special qi gong move at the end of the podcast.)

Winding Down Before Bed

To improve sleep, it’s important to wind down properly before bed. Qi gong is an excellent ways to relax, but you can also try adding some mantra or humming.

Including an “ohm” chant can help stimulate the Vagus nerve, located on either side of the neck, which will deeply relax your body and prepare you for sleep.

  • ☯️ Sit comfortably and take a deep belly breath.
  • ☯️ On the exhale begin humming or chanting “OHM.”
  • ☯️ Feeling the vibration begin from your belly, push it up through your chest and experience the resonance through the head.
  • ☯️ On the inhalation imagine the energy falling back down to the lower belly.
  • ☯️ Begin the circuit agail
  • ☯️ Practice at least 9 times for the benefit to become rooted in your body.

Dietary Adjustments: Each of the organs is linked to a flavour.  The heart is supported by the bitter flavour, often found growing in the height of summer.  Bitter greens like dandelion leaves, nettles, spinach, and chard can improve blood circulation and support heart health. Mung beans, in particular, are fantastic for the heart in Chinese Medicine.  Find out which organ likes which flavour in my books.

Foods for Sleep

Drinking plenty of water and herbal teas like chamomile, valerian, and even a special lettuce tea can support your kidneys and heart.

Making barley water and drinking it throughout the week is another great way to stay hydrated and support your kidneys.

Ensuring the Kidney Meridian system and its management of water element is strong will help calm heart fire which causes hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia.

Additionally, try drinking lettuce tea before bed—it’s delicious, easy to make, and helps relax your body for sleep. You can find the recipe [HERE]

Acupressure helps promote restful sleep by stimulating specific points on the body that regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and balance the flow of energy (chi). By releasing tension and enhancing relaxation, acupressure can improve the quality of sleep and support the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

This massage benefits the kidney meridian, which is related to water and helps balance fire and water in the body, especially around the heart and chest.

Kidney 27 Acupressure for Calming Heart Fire

Place your fingers either side of the sternum, in line with the nipples, and massage into the spaces between the ribs. Press, hold, and tap as you move down either side of the sternum, feeling the connection. This area, which contains the intercostal muscles, can hold a lot of tension. Gently massage these spaces, imagining energy flowing, guiding it with your intention rather than force.

Finally, find Kidney 27: locate the knobbly parts of the collarbone and slide off diagonally into a small divot. Massage this point by pressing, holding, and releasing.

Kidney 27 is excellent for rebalancing the yin and yang and is particularly helpful if you feel burnt out or exhausted.

Consistently massaging Kidney 27 helps maintain balance and flow in your energy. Remember, you’re not just pressing a button; you’re connecting with your own energy source.

Watch the full video in the Podcast below for exact location and practice.

Conclusion: Your Path to Restful Sleep

Remember, every small change can make a big difference. By nurturing your heart, supporting your kidneys, and incorporating calming practices into your routine, you can create a peaceful environment for your spirit to rest. Let’s embrace the wisdom of Chinese medicine and Qi Gong to transform our sleep and overall well-being.

Join us in our daily live Qi Gong classes at Chi Flow with Jo, and let’s embark on this journey together. Here’s to nights filled with peaceful sleep and days brimming with energy and joy!

Join Us for a FREE Online Qi Gong Class (scroll down to enter your email)

Ready to experience the benefits of Qi Gong for yourself? We invite you to join us for a free online Qi Gong class. Together, we will explore these easy flowing movements, stretching and releasing to cultivate mindfulness, relaxation, and focus.  Just fill in your details below and you’ll get a link to the FREE class.

Discover how the gentle practice of qi gong can transform your health and well-being, bringing balance and harmony to your life. Whether you’re new to Qi Gong or looking to deepen your practice, our classes are designed to support you every step of the way.

Join us today and take the first step towards a healthier, more balanced you.  Scroll down to sign up!

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO BELOW INCLUDING  A SLEEP QI GONG SEQUENCE AFTER THE CONVERSATION:

Cultivating Mindfulness, Relaxation, and Focus

One of the most profound benefits of Qi Gong is its ability to cultivate mindfulness, relaxation, and focus. Each movement is performed with intention and awareness, allowing practitioners to connect deeply with their bodies and breath. This mindful approach not only enhances the physical benefits of the practice but also translates into everyday life, leading to:

– Better Mobility: Improved flexibility and strength make it easier to perform daily activities with ease and confidence.

– Less Anxiety: The calming effects of mindful movement help to reduce stress and anxiety, promoting a sense of inner peace.

– Sound Sleep: The relaxation induced by Qi Gong supports better sleep patterns, helping you to wake up refreshed and rejuvenated.

By integrating these practices and dietary changes, you can help calm your mind, relax your body, and improve the quality of your sleep. Shiatsu, acupressure, and qi gong are powerful tools to support your well-being, especially as you age.

If you have specific concerns, always consult with a healthcare provider familiar with these practices to tailor a plan that’s right for you.

 

Are you ready to find your flow?

If you’re ready to reduce anxiety, ground your energy, and ease those uncomfortable menopause symptoms, join me in Chi Flow with Jo. Together, we’ll explore Qi Gong, food medicine, and acupressure in a way that supports your unique journey through menopause.

Sign up today  (scroll down) and take the first step toward feeling more balanced, calm, and connected to your body.

Until next time, stay balanced and be well.

 

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.  

The information provided should not be considered medical advice.

Easy Does It – How to Wear a Mask

Easy Does It – How to Wear a Mask

Powerful Points and Meridian Flows

For many people wearing a mask is uncomfortable and challenging and for some with underlying health issues, it simply is not possible. Historically some soldiers during WW2 experienced gas mask phobia which resulted in extreme agitation, claustrophobia and even removal of protective gear in dangerous situations so it was obvious they needed training. Even during my time living through the 1990 Gulf war in Israel, we were given guidance on how to wear the gas masks. How to put it on, how to take it off and how to remain calm during a bombing raid whilst the scuds and patriot missiles flew overhead. Now the Coronavirus is a much more silent killer. There is no siren to warn you to put your mask on and there is no training or instruction on how to remain calm when facing an invisible, viral enemy. So here I share tips based in Traditional Chinese Medicine and my Chi Gong Practice on how to put the mask on and how to remain calm when wearing it.

1. Prepare  
Don’t just jump right in, hurriedly putting the mask on and rush out the door. Take a minute. Check your posture. Are you standing up straight, are your shoulders down from your ears and your upper chest open. In Chinese Medicine, the lung meridian, which transports energy around the body just as veins transport blood, begins under the collar bone where it meets the shoulder and rotator cuff. Keeping this area open increases lung capacity, enabling more oxygen to enter and nourish the body.

2. Knock on the Chest
If our posture is upright and our shoulders are back, the chest will naturally open. Use the fingers to tap into the lung 1 point on the upper chest, continue tapping all along under the collar bone until you reach the hollows under the clavicle bone. In Chinese Medicine, the organs link to certain emotions. The lungs hold grief and sadness. When our shoulders hunch forwards, the beginning of this energy meridian can become blocked exacerbating emotions of isolation and despondency. So by tapping on the area and addressing posture our mood lifts and our breathing eases.

3.  Move it
The Chi Gong movement called “Rooster spreading feathers” will further open all areas of the upper chest and torso. The movement also moves the muscles and increases blood flow to the neck and shoulder area, where anxious tension, stiffness and stress can be held in the body, bringing on headaches, nosebleeds and migraines. Begin by bringing all the fingers together to a point and placing them into the Lung 1 point. The begin drawing imaginary circles, in a clockwise direction with the elbows, whilst still keeping the fingers stuck to the lung 1 point.

4. Breathe Deep
When anxiety rises, the immune system lowers and that is precisely the opposite of what we want to happen when we are out and about, mixing and moving. The deeper we breathe the stronger our energy and the lower our stress levels. To stay calm and breathe deeply we need to build stability in our centre. The core of being in Chinese Medicine is located at CV6 on the midline of the body, 2 fingers below the belly button. This is the place to focus on before we put on the mask. Take five breaths, in and out, through the nose, sending the breath to this point. Where the breath goes the Chi Follows and you may find this area in your lower abdomen becoming fantastically warm and relaxed. As you breathe in feel your lower belly relax and as you exhale, your belly goes towards the spine. You can press into the point or hold your hands just below the belly button if this helps you to focus here. After five breaths or whenever you feel comfortable, with clean hands put on your mask by looping it over the ears. Remain where you are, don’t rush out the door, continue to consciously send at least 5 breaths down to your CV6 point, just below the belly button. Only when you feel relaxed in the shoulders and calm in the belly should you make a move to the outside world.

5. Smize
In Chi Gong, we balance the nervous system using breath, simple movements, and by the power of the mind to transform negative feelings into positive emotions. Studies show that feeling happy and relaxed boosts the immune system so don’t forget to smile under your mask. People see your smile through your eyes – its called a “Duchenne smile” or smizing. Practice engaging your whole face when you smile, think of things that make you happy, use all the muscles and remember how that feels so you can do it with ease as you pass people in the supermarket or on the street. This costs nothing and yet adds to your health and to those around you.

Let’s do it together: If you’d like to start your day right, emotionally and physically, come and practice Chi Gong at 8.30 every morning with me and have recordings sent to your email so you can repeat or catch up if you missed us. To subscribe visit Chi Flow with Jo or watch more videos on staying healthy with Traditional Chinese Medicine at www.joannefaulkner.ie

Emotional Healing & Community Support

The weight we carry isn’t just on our hips, it’s in our hearts.
 Feeling like you “want to be minded” is your body’s cry for nurture, not discipline.

When you join Chi Flow with Jo, you don’t walk alone.
We move, fast, cook and heal together. That shared energy keeps you accountable and loved through change.

You don’t need to fight your bodyjust listen to her again.
Start with small rhythms: stop eating after 8 pm, massage Liver 13, sip lemon water in the morning, and join our January program to be supported every step of the way.

💗 Ready to Join?

Click here to become a member of Chi Flow with Jo → CLICK HERE

Or drop in for a class and feel it for yourself (sign up below). Join the Chi Flow with Jo community for live sessions, practice, and support.

Self-administered acupressure or Chinese Medicine is not a substitute for visits to qualified healthcare practitioners.

Knowing how to treat yourself and your loved ones with complimentary therapies like acupressure can be greatly beneficial and convenient. However, for serious and chronic conditions, you’ll want to visit an Shiatsu therapist / Acupuncturist or other qualified healthcare practitioner who can develop a treatment plan based on your unique medical history and combination of symptoms.

The information provided should not be considered medical advice.