The best part: you can massage some of these areas yourself.<\/p>\n
1. The Ears<\/strong><\/p>\n Ears weren\u2019t just made for hearing. They have reflex points that we can massage to counteract whole body and mental stress as well.<\/p>\n One of the most famous anxiety-releasing spots is called Shen Men, or \u201cThe Gate of Heaven\u201d.<\/p>\n The Chinese believe pressing near the top of our ears, just inside the rim can immediately bring us into a state of calm, relieve headaches and reduce stress.<\/p>\n Joseph Feuerstein, MD, director of Integrative Medicine at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut reveals how you can self-massage this point<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cPress or massage Shen Men firmly on one ear for a minute as you breathe deeply. Do each ear. Tilt the head from side to side to release the neck, between pressings.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can also learn how to give your ears the massage they deserve with this helpful video tutorial<\/a> from licensed massage therapist, Rachel Richards.<\/p>\n 2. The Thumb<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s face it, we spend a great deal of time using our hands for one activity or another. Our thumbs are a vital part of what makes our hands so versatile and useful (remember difficult it was getting through a day with an injured thumb?)<\/p>\n Without our thumbs, we can\u2019t grip, throw, punch, or even get dressed.<\/p>\n There are 8 muscles<\/a> in our thumb alone!<\/p>\n Fingers have a gazillion nerve receptors connected to our body, which is why our fingers provide a window into our health<\/a>.<\/p>\n Massaging fingers can release tension throughout the rest of the body. Just give it a go for yourself and feel the difference.<\/p>\n If your thumb is really sore or stiff, to the point that you can\u2019t open a jar, try massaging your hand and thumb<\/a> to bring relief to tight, painful areas of your hands.<\/p>\n 3. The Wrist Our wrists and fingers tend to be neglected despite their importance and constant use.<\/p>\n Below the wrist is another vital acupressure point known as the \u201cInner gate\u201d or the Pericardium 6.<\/p>\n According to Mind Body Green<\/a>, massaging this point helps calm a racing heart. The \u201cwristband technique<\/a>\u201d is also popular among those who suffer anxiety. Wearing and snapping the rubber bands whenever we\u2019re anxious can calm us down.<\/p>\n If you want a more soothing experience then opt for a wrist massage<\/a>, or do it yourself. by using your thumb to press on your wrist for four seconds then massaging it in a circular motion.<\/p>\n Clasping your hands as if you\u2019re praying and to open and stretch the wrists relaxes the surrounding muscles and helps relieve wrist tension.<\/p>\n The average person at rest takes about 23,040 breaths per day.<\/p>\n And the diaphragm is the primary muscle of breathing.<\/p>\n But did you know the diaphragm is also the neglected superstar for core and spinal stability?<\/p>\n Meaning, if your diaphragm isn\u2019t in top shape, you\u2019re more prone to pain and injury. Hence the importance to maintain \u201ccore strength\u201d.<\/p>\n Elan Shacter at MassageNerd offers some good massage techniques for releasing tension in the diaphragm<\/a> in his video tutorial.<\/p>\n 5. The Gut<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There\u2019s always been a scientific link between gut health and digestion.<\/p>\n Recently there\u2019s a buzz around how massaging our stomachs can be helpful to good digestion.<\/p>\n Dr Iona Bramati of IBC Care, who is a specialist in Visceral Osteopathic Treatment (VOT) believes massage is all about increasing the mobility of our guts.<\/p>\n \u201cVisceral osteopathy is used to optimize blood and lymphatic supply to the internal organs aiming to restore its function.\u201d<\/p>\n Walking, running and exercising are the common ways that peristalsis (movement of food through the digestive tract) is promoted,\u201dDr. Bramati disclosed to the Independent.<\/a><\/p>\n As many of us will admit, however, we don\u2019t move our bodies as much as we should, often sitting at our desks or couches for long periods of time.<\/p>\n The benefits of a simple belly rub are also numerous like promoting a good sleep and relieving abdominal and hip flexor tension.<\/p>\n You can also try your own gut massage. Kren Schuft, PT, DPT shares her favorite technique called the \u201cI love You Massage\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n Use your hands and fingers to gently stroke your belly along the path of the large intestine in a gentle clockwise movement (in the direction your digestive tract is already moving food). Continue for 10 minutes using light pressure for a calming experience that also helps your body move food along its path smoothly.<\/p>\n We often skip massage on our buttocks, even though the gluteus muscles are some of the largest and most used in our bodies.<\/p>\n A variety of techniques include compression, friction and deep strokes. Getting a butt massage can help counteract long hours of sitting<\/a>.<\/p>\n It can also help with acute pain, tight muscles and soreness from overuse by relaxing these strong muscles and encouraging proper blood flow to return to the deep tissues of the glutes.<\/p>\n![\"what](\"https:\/\/www.massagebook.com\/massage-therapy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/what-does-massage-do-massagebook.png\")
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\n4. The Diaphragm
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\n6. The Buttocks
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