Spotlight On: The Dosha Mat & Acupressure

You’ve probably seen pictures of these spiky little mats floating around social media and wondered what in the world they are and why on earth anyone would want to lay on a bed of almost-needles. Those were my first two thoughts when Dosha Mat reached out to me… but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve used this mat on and off for the past year, and put it to heavy use earlier this year when dealing with some serious anxiety. I was certainly skeptical at first, but I can see its benefits now.

What is The Dosha Mat?

The Dosha Mat is an acupressure mat designed to help increase bloodflow throughout the body in order to ease pain and aid in relaxation. It’s similar to massage and acupuncture, minus the needles and need for a professional. This mat, along with many others like it on the market, have tiny little buds of hard plastic spikes (as you can see below) that press on the skin when you lay, sit, or stand on the mat. These buds are designed to alleviate tense muscles, help with back/neck/shoulder pain, and with continued use, reduce stress and promote sleep.

Unlike those other mats on the market, however, Dosha Mats are made from 100% eco-friendly materials. They have a natural linen cover that’s hypoallergenic with a removable pad made from coconut fibers. What’s more, the plastic buds are surgical-grade, so you don’t have to worry about introducing harmful chemicals into your skin or having some type of allergic reaction. I’ve found that I really like the removable cover, too, in case you need to clean it (by hand — you can’t put this one in the washing machine). All in all, this is a really high quality product.

First Impressions

I’ve been using the mat on and off for over a year now. When I received the mat, I was immediately skeptical — what IS this thing? I took off my socks, stepped on it, and just about screamed in pain. Those little lotus flowers are SHARP! So I put my socks back on and tried again. A little better, but not much. Now, I’ll be honest here, after this initial introduction, I rolled the mat up and stored it under my bed for quite some time. That is until earlier this year when I was having severe anxiety attacks just about every day.

It was my last semester in graduate school and my culminating project (Master’s thesis essentially) was getting the run-around from my professors and I couldn’t fathom continuing on. I’m not an anxious person by nature, but this semester had me worked up beyond belief. After one particularly bad day, I decided I needed to get this anxiety under control by any means necessary or it was going to eat me alive and I probably wouldn’t graduate. I’d been hearing a lot about essential oil diffusion and meditation, so why not give that a try… and break out my Dosha Mat from hiding, too. And that’s what I did — every night for about 3 months straight. I laid on the mat next to my bed, put lavender oil in my diffuser, and listened to calming music to tune out my thoughts.

Do I think the mat helped? Yes, yes I do. It sounds strange, but laying on tiny spikes was actually relaxing, but not sleep-inducing. The prickly sensation was enough to keep me awake so I could actually enjoy the meditation, but it was also nice to have that warm, blood circulation feeling before bed.

How I’m Using It Now & Things to Consider

I don’t use the mat quite as often now, since my anxiety has diminished substantially after graduating. I try to use it every Sunday night though to help calm nerves before the work week and to really get a good relaxation routine going. After using it this year, here are a few final thoughts and things to consider:

• Wear clothes and socks when trying it for the first (few) time(s). Not going to lie: this mat HURTS if you stand or lay on it with bare skin. Frankly, I’m not sure how anyone does that even after months of use. My recommendation is to wear thicker socks and clothing to start out while you get used to the sensation. After a while, try it out with thinner clothing and if you want, bare skin.

• Lay down on it slowly. If you just plop yourself down on this mat, you are going to feel it (in a bad way)! Dare I say the little flowers might actually stab you if you collapse onto it. I found sitting down on it for a few seconds works best to get my body used to the pricks, and then slowly roll down onto your back from there.

• Don’t be surprised if your skin gets temporarily red and indented. I can’t say I was surprised at the fact that my skin got red — I do have quite sensitive skin, after all. But looking at my back after laying on the mat for 5-10 minutes was a bit of a shock. Red and indented. I’ll take that as a good sign though that the mat actually does increase bloodflow and improves circulation.

• It’s expensive, but you get what you pay for. The mat itself runs $99 full price, but they are on sale for $79 right now. I’ve done some research and mats like this on Amazon range from $20-$230. Not sure on the uber expensive ones, but I can almost guarantee the cheap ones are not made from a high quality plastic/cloth. The Dosha Mat certainly is, and you can tell right when you open the package.

Readers: chat with me! Have you ever used an acupressure mat before? Have you even heard of/seen one? If so, what was your experience like? If not, is it something you’d like to try? How do you deal with anxiety when you’re in a panicked state?

Disclosure: I was gifted this acupressure mat from Dosha Mat in exchange for my review and honest opinion on here on the blog. As always, I only post about products I actually use and enjoy myself, and all opinions, photos, and copy are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

4 Ways to Stay Healthy During Times of Stress

We all have overwhelming weeks, don't we?  Those weeks where nothing seems to be going your way, and the last thing you need to worry about is fitting in time to prep meals and work out.   This past week was like that for me.  I haven't had nearly the time I'd like to devote to my workouts and meal prep (not to mention my certification studies!).   It was trying to say the least.

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That said, there are so many ways to stay calm during stressful times, and still maintain a healthy diet and exercise plan, even if it's not on par with your usual routine.  Every little bit counts - every healthy choice you make is one step toward your ultimate goal.  One of my favorite quotes during these times is, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."  

I think it's a perfect reminder to be gentle with ourselves during times of chaos and try to do what we can to minimize burdens, but realize that sometimes, stressful situations arise that are beyond our control.

Here are a few strategies I used this week to help maintain my cool:

1. Getting enough sleep.  We all know by now that we're supposed to get about 8 hours of sleep per night.  And we also know that if we don't, our bodies and minds pay a price.  For me, this week was full of some pretty big life decisions (the main one being buying a new car) so I needed to be of a clear, focused mind in order to make such a huge purchase.  Among other things, getting enough sleep was a priority.
2. Maintaining a healthy diet.  Eating clean and choosing to nourish your body with the nutrients it needs during stressful times can have huge impacts on how you feel and can help in keeping your mind sharp in order to tackle what's on your plate (pun intended :) ).  I didn't have a lot of time to prepare meals this week, so I had to buy lunch and dinner often.  This usually meant making a trip to the store for prepared meals or going to the cafeteria next to where I work and trying to choose the healthiest options they had to offer.  Usually this was a salad with some kind of protein (chicken, tuna, turkey) - light on the dressing! - a cup of low-sodium soup full of veggies, and a piece of fruit.  I've found when I'm stressed, like most of us, I'm more tempted to consider getting a bag of chips or a cookie because they're convenient, but I remember that the more crap I eat, the worse I feel.  If you can make the healthy decision and choose better, you can take control over how your body feels and you'll be much more likely to make better, healthier decisions in other areas of your life.
3. Fit in your "workouts" during your everyday activities.  That may sound weird, so let me explain.  Sure, I didn't have time to get in my usual workouts this week, but I tried to compensate by doing a few things throughout my day that would add some kind of physical activity and help me feel energized.  For example, walking to the cafeteria to get lunch.  There were some gorgeous days this past week, so getting outside for a brisk walk helped me feel like I was still staying active even though I wasn't getting to the gym.   If I went to the store, or anywhere where I needed to drive, I tried to park far away from the entrance in order to get a few more steps in throughout my day.  I also made a point of getting up out of my desk more frequently than I usually do.   Other ideas to try: use a basket instead of a shopping cart to carry your groceries or other items; do a few push ups and/or sit ups before bed or when you get up in the morning; if you're walking to and from in your home, try lunging to your destination instead.  Any little extra movement throughout your day will help keep the blood flowing and burn a few extra calories.
4. Don't be too hard on yourself.  Beating yourself up about things you can't change doesn't change those things, it only makes you feel worse.  Be patient, the stressful times will end, and you will get back to your routine schedule when you can.  I know this is easier said than done in some situations, but if you have a positive outlook and know that things will work out in the end, they usually do.  That's how I approached my need of a new car.  With such a huge purchase, I didn't want to be hasty and buy the first one that I saw just to get the process over and done with.  I was patient and knew that things were going to work out how they were supposed to.  And sure enough, they did. 

I hope you all had a great week!  If anyone is curious, I DID buy a new (used) car this weekend (which is why my post is a day late) - a 2012 Nissan Altima.  So, some of the stress is behind me now, and I am looking forward to a less stressful, healthier week ahead.  I will be traveling to Nashville, TN to see my parents later this week, so stay tuned for some posts about the vacation and for some healthy tips while traveling and being away from home.  Enjoy your week!