Here’s Why – WTHN Really Nailed It…
By contributor Allie White.
I don’t remember the first time I saw an image of a shirtless man laying on top of a bed of nails, but it’s one of those things you just don’t forget. Bare skin being poked by hundreds of pointy, sharp LITERAL HARDWARE NAILS sticking straight up from a block of wood…you can picture it too, right? It was probably a photo or illustration from an old-timey circus act — think Fire Eater, Bed of Nails Hero. Whatever it was, the visceral reaction was real: Every limb tensed, my skin immediately sprouted goosebumps, a full-body shiver ran down my spine.
So imagine my surprise when I started seeing a variation of that same image pop up all over the place a couple of years ago. Suddenly, that old-timey circus act was following me around but now, it was being billed as a self-care practice. That’s right: lay your entire body weight down on a mat that resembles a sort-of torture device and achieve nirvana! Relieve your pain! Loosen your muscles! Breathe easier! Sleep better! Produce endorphins! Get rid of headaches! Treat anxiety!
That’s a lot of exclamation points but I swear, every time I saw something about an acupressure mat, it seemed to be shouting at me that THIS was exactly what I needed to be the healthiest, best, most-rested version of myself – and all it would take was a daily practice of near-impalement on thousands of tiny plastic spikes. Reader, I had to try it. For despite my adolescent memory of that circus act, I am a FOMO sufferer of epic proportions when it comes to self-care.
So like all FOMO sufferers, I ordered one. When my WTHN Acupressure Mat Set arrived, I tentatively unrolled the mat and then…sat and stared at it. I’ve done acupuncture, cupping, massage gun, the kind of massage where someone literally stands on your back for 60 minutes, but this was like nothing I’d seen before.
I don’t remember the first time I saw an image of a shirtless man laying on top of a bed of nails, but it’s one of those things you just don’t forget. Bare skin being poked by hundreds of pointy, sharp LITERAL HARDWARE NAILS sticking straight up from a block of wood…you can picture it too, right? It was probably a photo or illustration from an old-timey circus act — think Fire Eater, Bed of Nails Hero. Whatever it was, the visceral reaction was real: Every limb tensed, my skin immediately sprouted goosebumps, a full-body shiver ran down my spine.
So imagine my surprise when I started seeing a variation of that same image pop up all over the place a couple of years ago. Suddenly, that old-timey circus act was following me around but now, it was being billed as a self-care practice. That’s right: lay your entire body weight down on a mat that resembles a sort-of torture device and achieve nirvana! Relieve your pain! Loosen your muscles! Breathe easier! Sleep better! Produce endorphins! Get rid of headaches! Treat anxiety!
That’s a lot of exclamation points but I swear, every time I saw something about an acupressure mat, it seemed to be shouting at me that THIS was exactly what I needed to be the healthiest, best, most-rested version of myself – and all it would take was a daily practice of near-impalement on thousands of tiny plastic spikes. Reader, I had to try it. For despite my adolescent memory of that circus act, I am a FOMO sufferer of epic proportions when it comes to self-care.
So like all FOMO sufferers, I ordered one. When my WTHN Acupressure Mat Set arrived, I tentatively unrolled the mat and then…sat and stared at it. I’ve done acupuncture, cupping, massage gun, the kind of massage where someone literally stands on your back for 60 minutes, but this was like nothing I’d seen before.
It was intimidating, so much so that I asked (cough forced cough) my good-natured husband to try it first and report back. Together, we read the instructions. Then we locked eyes, he took a deep breath, muttered “here goes nothing,” and slowly lowered himself down onto the mat. To my surprise, he barely flinched. (I say surprise not because I expected the mat to hurt, but because he is a gigantic baby, but that’s a story for another day.) With his eyes closed, I watched his entire body relax after about 30 seconds. A minute later, his breathing steadied into a deep, measured cadence and he looked downright peaceful.
Reader, I had to try it.
“OK MY TURN!” I shouted, interrupting his acu mat-induced reverie. Annoyed, he slowly rolled off, leaving the spikes free to get to work on my back. Those first 30 seconds? Not great. The next 15 minutes? Not bad! I wouldn’t exactly call the sensation “comfortable,” especially if you’re new to acupressure mats and aren’t wearing a shirt or don’t have a layer of fabric between your bare skin and the shallow plastic spikes, but as time passed, my muscles relaxed and the whole thing felt sort of meditative. By the time I sat up (aka was nudged back to consciousness by my husband who wanted another turn), my body felt freer and less tense than it had in months.
Based on the traditional principles of acupressure — a form of massage used in Traditional Chinese Medicine — WTHN’s Acupressure Mat Set is designed to gently activate points across the body and provide mild stimulation to muscles and nerve pathways. The contoured pressure points also stimulate the release of endorphins and other calming hormones, and help increase blood flow and lymph circulation.
Reader, I had to try it.
“OK MY TURN!” I shouted, interrupting his acu mat-induced reverie. Annoyed, he slowly rolled off, leaving the spikes free to get to work on my back. Those first 30 seconds? Not great. The next 15 minutes? Not bad! I wouldn’t exactly call the sensation “comfortable,” especially if you’re new to acupressure mats and aren’t wearing a shirt or don’t have a layer of fabric between your bare skin and the shallow plastic spikes, but as time passed, my muscles relaxed and the whole thing felt sort of meditative. By the time I sat up (aka was nudged back to consciousness by my husband who wanted another turn), my body felt freer and less tense than it had in months.
Based on the traditional principles of acupressure — a form of massage used in Traditional Chinese Medicine — WTHN’s Acupressure Mat Set is designed to gently activate points across the body and provide mild stimulation to muscles and nerve pathways. The contoured pressure points also stimulate the release of endorphins and other calming hormones, and help increase blood flow and lymph circulation.
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I’m no doctor, but I feel like it worked. That first night, I had some of the best sleep I could remember in a long time. The next day, my lower back didn’t start screaming in protest after eight hours sitting at a computer like it normally does."
READER, I HAD TO TRY IT AGAIN.
On day two of having the Acupressure Mat in my life, I went to retrieve it from the closet I’d stored it in and lo! It was missing! Want to guess where I found it? Under my husband, who had learned his lesson and was wearing headphones so he could ignore me impatiently asking when he’d be done.
Three weeks later, I’m proud to say we’ve worked out a system that allows us both to benefit from daily use of the mat. No more squabbling or nudging or one-upping to determine who needs it more. But I am thinking about just getting him his own. Reader, I do not want to share this magical tool.
**This article is not meant to be taken as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional before using an acupressure mat.
On day two of having the Acupressure Mat in my life, I went to retrieve it from the closet I’d stored it in and lo! It was missing! Want to guess where I found it? Under my husband, who had learned his lesson and was wearing headphones so he could ignore me impatiently asking when he’d be done.
Three weeks later, I’m proud to say we’ve worked out a system that allows us both to benefit from daily use of the mat. No more squabbling or nudging or one-upping to determine who needs it more. But I am thinking about just getting him his own. Reader, I do not want to share this magical tool.
**This article is not meant to be taken as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional before using an acupressure mat.
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