I used the shakti mat for 1 week and here’s how I got on.
First of all what is it…?
Its an acupressure (acupuncture without needles) mat that contains 6,000 acuspikes. The word “Shakti” is a Sanskrit principle, symbolising female empowerment, abundance and change. The mats are 100% organic cotton and are ethically produced using recyclable ABS plastic.
The mat claims to support healthy blood circulation, release feel good hormones, relax muscles, help aid restful sleep and gives relief from back pain and stress.
Anything that promotes wellness I’m certainly up for trying. I suffer with migraine and headaches on and off. Placing a towel under the shakti mat is a great way of targeting your head and upper neck muscles. As my job is 50% desk based, I do suffer with neck and shoulder tension. My posture would not be brilliant either so I was interested to see if this would help.
The shaki mat comes with a very useful instruction manual explaining what acupressure is, how the mat works and the different uses of it.
To get the full benefits of the mat, it is recommended to lie on the mat for up to 20 minutes at a time. A soft surface is more favourable when starting off and I chose my bed for this reason.
Does it hurt?
The honest answer is, its not exactly comfortable at first… I was excited when I received mine and dove straight into lying on it bare back. Not that I should have been surprised by just how prickly the mat is. Ive taken a close up shot below for you to see. Its prickly and uncomfortable at first so a light layer is a good starting option i.e. t shirt or by placing a pillow case over the mat. I would describe it as an initial discomfort.
When I first lay on it, I thought to myself, theres no way this uncomfortable feeling goes away. A few minutes in and your back starts to feel hot, almost like a sunburned feeling. Its plain and simple, you just need to stick it out… 5 minutes in, the feel good hormones start to kick in and you feel so unbelievable relaxed and rejuvenated !!I felt so relaxed I almost nodded off.
It does leave your back red and imprinted but this all fades after 20 minutes.
I’ve been using the shakti mat now for 1 week for 20 minutes before bed time (Bed time routines are not just for kids lol) and can honestly say its helping me sleep soundly. It can also be used post workout to help aid recovery of aching muscles. I will be putting it to good use especially after leg day to aid recovery. 10 minutes is recommended for this purpose.
For anybody who suffers with tired/achy feet after a long day you may need to build it up. Perhaps wear socks if you find it too prickly. It may still be easier than getting your other half to agree to giving you a foot massage !! 2- 5 minutes to give tired feet a prep in there step again.
I didn’t suffer with any headaches this week, whether it was mat related or not… who knows, but it has so many benefits to continue use. I will continue to use my mat daily as I just can get enough of that “blissed out feeling”
Have you ever used an acupressure mat, how was your experience? Id love to know.
The shakti mat was very kindly gifted to me by Dani at www.shaktimat.eu ❤
Aimee's Appetite 