The magic of tension-melting relief.

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I, probably like you, have felt a certain heaviness in recent days. And the weight of that collective anxiety often manifests physically—ache-y backs littered with knots, crunched-up shoulders grazing our ears.

This isn’t an unusual musculoskeletal reaction. When the body feels stressed, muscles tense up—sort of like a reflex. And that physical form of stress can have lasting negative effects, including tension headaches, exhaustion, and feelings of restlessness. Before, my de facto route of “powering through the pain” would prevail, but recognizing my stress-induced discomfort could have long-term side effects, made me realize that soothing aches is actually a form of self-care.

As I suspected, my experience wasn’t uncommon:

“I asked my roommate to walk on my back.”

“I keep a bag of frozen peas permanently within reach.”

“Has anyone considered abandoning chairs entirely?”

My friends and I swapped the less-than-enticing lengths we’d gone (or considered) to salve our bodies. And, truth be told, taking conference calls from my floor was sounding increasingly tempting.

Thankfully, a yoga-instructor friend intervened, suggesting the magic of acupressure mats and massage balls, which, when combined, promise to almost replicate the healing hands of a pro.

The ergonomic Bed of Nails mat is designed to mimic the effects of acupuncture, with 210 acupressure plates covered with 8,820 precision nails to deliver pinpointed pressure. Acupressure, a centuries-old practice with roots in Chinese medicine, is said to produce endorphins, improve sleep, increase energy levels, and, most importantly, alleviate pain.

Let’s see what this mat can do.

I expected it to be about the size of a yoga mat, but was surprised when I unrolled it and saw it measured about 16.5" by 28.5"—about the length of my torso. As it turns out, this was the perfect size for targeting my body where I needed it most.

As I nimbly lowered myself onto the mat, I didn’t feel the needles’ pressure at first. However, once I rolled up my shirt, I immediately felt thousands of small points prodding my back. (Be careful where you place your hands!) Once the initial intensity wore off (and, yes, it is intense) I settled into serenity as my body released the feel-good hormone oxytocin.

To up the ante, I layered in my massage balls. Building on the benefits of my acupressure mat, massage is touted to improve circulation, stimulate the lymphatic system, reduce stress hormones, and increase joint flexibility. As a more affordable alternative to massage therapy, massage balls encourage you to reap similar effects at home.

Like my mat expectations, the trio of recycled cork balls was smaller than I imagined, but this proved perfect for kneading away at pesky knots. I simply put one on the ground, positioning it under a knot that was particularly irksome and rolled my back over the ball until the knot subsided, being careful not to exacerbate pain.

As I rolled away at my most maddening knots, I was curious to learn what other ways I could put the cork balls to use. A quick perusal of the Internet yielded countless methods for fostering bodily calm. Among my favorites:

• Positioning the ball between my back and a wall, moving up and down to stretch cramped muscles
• Placing it underneath the arch of my foot, rolling it back and forth, to soothe weary feet. Holy foot massage!
• Targeting it underneath my calves and biceps, mimicking how one would use a foam roller post-workout

Now more than ever, it’s important to take care of our bodies so they feel and perform their best. One small act of self-care? Salving those uncomfortable aches.