Take things into your own hands and relieve that stress!
There are countless simple ways to relieve stress, but few come close to an ancient Japanese massage technique known as shiatsu. Instead of splurging on an expensive trip to Hawaii, why not give your fingers a few good squeezes to improve your mental health? The folks at Bright Side have recently produced a video to help us relax our minds with the power of shiatsu.
The concept is straightforward: each finger has nerve endings linked to different feelings, and by applying pressure to them, this can relieve stress you’ve built up over the course of a long week. Heck, you can even do this while you’re at work! With the help of this resident writer, we’ll show you what a good squeezing on each finger does.
The thumb governs anxiety, so fully grasp it with your opposite hand and hold it for one to two minutes to free yourself from earthly worries.
▼ This would have certainly helped on my first date.
Holding your index finger is said to combat fear, which may calm your nerves when you see that huge spider on the pillow.
▼ Perhaps this may have helped me overcome my fear of heights.
The ever useful middle finger is associated with anger or resentment, and calming yourself in this fashion can prevent you from spewing expletives you will regret later.
▼ Perfect for those times when you stub your toe on something hard.
The ring finger is connected to depression and sadness. Gripping this finger certainly helped me get over my American Cherry Pie Frappuccino withdrawal.
▼ “I am so over pastry domes in my drink.”
Last is the pinky, and grasping it increases optimism and self-confidence.
▼ It suddenly dawned on me that the next Starbucks promotion was just around the corner!
Should you wish to calm your mind, gently apply pressure on the center of your palm using the thumb of your opposite hand.
▼ Everything is going to be alright.
While it is a relatively simple technique, it was surprisingly effective, and it did actually work to calm the nerves. Now we know what to do the next time a passing bird poops on our car windshield.
▼ Hnnnngggrrrr!
Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments!
Source: Youtube/Bright Side via DesignTAXI
Featured image: Youtube/Bright Side
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