Why is acupuncture so relaxing?
- Katie Robinette LAc
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Maybe the most surprising thing about acupuncture is how deeply relaxing it can be. Most people have some level of fear about needles and being subjected to pain, so the fact that their bodies almost immediately respond to an acupuncture treatment with relaxation doesn’t make logical sense. So, why is acupuncture relaxing?
Relaxing Effects of Acupuncture According to Science
First, what is actually going on in the body as we drop into that state of relaxation during acupuncture? Acupuncture can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals. It also lowers activity in areas of the brain associated with fear and stress (the limbic system).
Changes in brain wave activity can also be measured. I think many of us can relate to the sensation of our minds slowing down as the treatment begins, and it’s interesting that this is most likely when our brain waves literally slow down from beta waves (12-30Hz) to alpha (8-12Hz) or theta waves (4-8Hz). We usually live our waking hours in beta, which is great for being productive, but can also be overly stimulating and induce stress and anxiety if we stay in a high beta state. Alpha and theta waves, on the other hand, are experienced as calming and rejuvenating. We naturally reach these states while daydreaming, sleeping, or meditating. Acupuncture also helps our brains slow down into alpha or theta waves, allowing us to settle in, heal and repair.
Benefits of the Relaxing Effects of Acupuncture
Is there a purpose or benefit of this relaxation response? I already mentioned that the parasympathetic state or slow brain wave states are necessary for healing and repair. Slowing down and relaxing is challenging for most people, but it's also essential for their health. Having a treatment available with this relaxing effect built in is truly valuable. I want to go one step further into how valuable this is, based on my experience as a practitioner and meditator, and talk about the mind-body connection.
Mind-Body Connection
So many of our issues are rooted in stress, and therefore our minds. Our thoughts and beliefs about how things should and shouldn’t be can become obstructive forces. The more a thought or belief is repeated, the more solid it becomes. As the energetic pattern becomes denser, we begin to experience it as a physical manifestation within us. For example, the metaphorical weight of the world on your shoulders becomes palpable muscle knots. Until we can release some of the pressure we’re putting on ourselves, the muscle knots will not fully release. And in order to make a shift in our mental energy, we need to get out of our heads for a while.
Most people live in their mental world, and you can’t think your way out of these patterns. You need get out of your own way. I believe that this is the biggest advantage to people zoning out during acupuncture. It allows shifts to occur on the mental and emotional levels as well as the physical.
What if you don’t get relaxed during acupuncture?
Not every acupuncture treatment is a floaty, blissful time of relaxation. Sometimes we have too much going on and it’s not the right time for that. Other times, we are stuck and fatigued and the acupuncture gets us moving again, which is exactly what we need.
