One of the simplest and quickest ways to help fight fatigue is through acupressure. Many of us suffer from fatigue for various reasons including lack of sleep, certain medications, allergies, continuous exposure to toxins, heavy metals and so on. How can acupressure help? Acupressure can be applied at any time to give you a little extra boost that will help you get through your day. There are four acupressure points or meridians, that when pressure is applied –stimulates and causes energy to move through the body to help create balance, which in turn will aid you in fighting fatigue.

The first meridian can be located to the outside of and just below each knee. Feel the protruding bone to the outside of the knee and then feel down about one and half to two inches. The second meridian is located on the inside of each wrist just above where wrist bends about one and a half to two inches up from the bend. The third meridian is located directly in the center of the chest, between both breasts, and the fourth and fifth ribs. The fourth location is inside the leg above the ankle on the back edge of the shinbone about two inches up.

Once you have located the pressure points, you can begin by applying gentle pressure to each point – doing one point at a time and at a few times per day, or what is most comfortable for you. Hold the pressure for a couple of minutes, taking care not to press too heavily. If at any time this feels uncomfortable stop the pressure momentarily and then try again later using less pressure. If the point is tender and the energy appears to be blocked, do not force the pressure but ease into it over time. The energy may take a few weeks before it can start to flow naturally and with more ease. As the energy begins to balance, you will come to notice more sustained energy and other great benefits of this simple yet effective healing modality.

Over time you can gradually increase a level of pressure to keep the energy in a constant open flow through each meridian. Never make it uncomfortable for yourself. Acupressure, as with all healing modalities, takes time, persistence and patience. Be gentle with yourself and you will gain the maximum benefits from this ancient technique.

Acupressure is a very safe and effective way to add healing to your life. It is simple enough that anyone can do this for themselves or members of their family. There are a myriad of health benefits to acupressure and if you would like to learn more, there are many good books that offer examples with full color photographs to aid you in finding the exact location of each meridian. There are also highly qualified practitioners who specialize in teaching and performing acupressure to make your life more happy and healthy.