If you’ve ever experienced acupuncture, you’ll know that one of the first things you notice midway through treatment is that you feel remarkably relaxed. Some people describe this “acu-high” as feeling deeply calm or even sedated.

 

The reason for this experience of serenity is that acupuncture triggers our parasympathetic or “rest and digest” nervous system. In this era of hyper-stimulation, screen time, and constant availability, we all too often tend towards our “fight or flight” or sympathetic nervous response. And that’s not always a bad thing. Our sympathetic nervous response can help us things done and stay vigilant when we need to. 

 

The problem arises when we are unable to take a break from this vigilance response and allow our bodies to relax and recharge. If you’re someone who regularly experiences stress and anxiety, you’ll know what this feels like. Your mind is constantly thinking and your body often feels tense even when you just want to relax and unwind.

 

Acupuncture is an effective tool for hacking the nervous system and breaking the cycle of vigilance and anticipation that many of us experience as stress and anxiety. With regular treatment, patients report a new feeling of "grounded-ness" and contentment that they’d forgotten was possible.