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Easy Acupressure Techniques for Stress Management

Peter G. Hanson, M.D.

“Stress is simply the adaptation of our bodies and minds to change.”

Whether it’s the daily pressures of work, personal challenges, or simply the fast-paced nature of modern life, stress can take a toll on our well-being. Fortunately, there are simple, effective ways to find relief and restore balance. This blog will guide you through easy acupressure and self-massage techniques you can use on-the-go to manage stress and cultivate a sense of calm whenever needed.

Techniques & Benefits

These techniques combine the benefits of acupressure and self-massage to calm your nervous system, release tension, and manage stress effectively.

Hand Pressure Point for Tired, Achy Hands

  • Benefits: Relieves hand fatigue and pain.
  • Location: Web of muscle between the thumb and index finger.
  • Technique: Press your thumb and index finger into the web of the muscle between the thumb and index finger of the other hand. Press and wiggle through the muscle tissue toward the edge of skin. Repeat as desired.  

Yin Tang Acupressure (Third Eye Point)

  • Benefits: Calms the mind and reduces anxiety.
  • Location: The point between your eyebrows.
  • Technique: Gently apply pressure with your index finger for 1-2 minutes, focusing on deep, slow breaths. 

Heart 7 Acupressure (Shenmen)

  • Benefits: Soothes the mind and alleviates anxiety.
  • Location: On the wrist crease, aligned with your little finger.
  • Technique: Apply firm, steady pressure with your thumb for 1-2 minutes. 

Pericardium 6 Acupressure (Neiguan)

  • Benefits: Reduces anxiety and nausea.
  • Location: On the inner forearm, about three finger-widths below the wrist crease, between the two tendons.
  • Technique: Apply gentle, circular pressure with your thumb for 1-2 minutes. 

Neck Relief for Headaches and Soreness

  • Benefits: Relieves headaches and neck tension.
  • Location: Base of the skull where it meets the spine.
  • Technique: Take the palm of your hand and center it at the back of the head. With medium pressure, squeeze and grasp the back of the neck by drawing the fingers toward the center. Release and repeat 4 times with the right hand, then 4 times with the left hand. 

Temple Massage for Tension Headaches and Tired Eyes:

  • Benefits: Alleviates tension headaches and eye strain.
  • Location: Temples, just beside the eyes.
  • Technique: Place your index and middle fingertips at the temple. With light pressure, make 6 to 8 clockwise circular movements, then 6 to 8 counterclockwise circular movements. Repeat as desired.

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

The use of essential oils and aromatherapy can also help amplify some of these techniques.

Key Essential Oils & Benefits:

  • Lavender: Promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety  
  • Chamomile: Calms the nervous system, promotes relaxation  
  • Bergamot: Reduces anxiety, uplifts mood  
  • Ylang Ylang: Reduces anxiety, promotes relaxation  

Usage: Diffuse, inhale directly, or apply diluted to the skin 

Thank you to our content partners at Sharp HealthCare. 

Need Additional Well-Being Support?

While acupressure and self-massage techniques can be powerful tools for stress management, sometimes we need additional support. California Schools VEBA (CalVEBA) offers a range of resources to help you navigate life’s challenges and daily stress.

Optum Wellbeing Solutions (EWS)

  • 24/7 Support: For immediate assistance with stress, relationship conflicts, work-life balance, communication strategies, and more, contact Optum EWS.  
  • Dedicated Workplace Support Consultants: CalVEBA members and their dependents (18+) in California can access no-cost counseling visits virtually or in-person at the VEBA Resource Centers (Kearny Mesa and Carlsbad).  
    • Available: Monday – Friday, 10 am – 7 pm.
    • To Book: Visit https://bit.ly/optumvrc, create an account, enter the verification code, and select “Onsite service” to choose your appointment type (in-person, video, or telephone). 

Therapy Resources:

  • California Schools VEBA (CalVEBA) Therapy:
    • Short-term mental health support is available. Schedule a consultation with a CalVEBA Care Navigator—a critical care and holistic Registered Nurse. 
    • To schedule a Care Navigation appointment, call 619-398-4220 or book an appointment here. The Care Navigator will assist you with scheduling your therapy appointment and connect you with the resources you need for long-term support and care. 
  • Health Plan Network Therapists:
    • Kaiser Members: For mental health care, call Kaiser Permanente directly.  
      • Call: 833-579-4848 (8 am – 5:30 pm, Monday – Friday). 
    • UnitedHealthcare Members: Sign in to your member account or call the number on your member ID card. For more information regarding wellness resources visit.

Questions about your mental health benefits or need help finding an in-network provider? Contact the California Schools VEBA Advocacy Team for assistance with benefits eligibility, enrollment questions, or finding a therapist within your network.

Thank you to our content partners at Sharp HealthCare.

10 Self-Care Ideas to Calm the Senses

From Sharp Health News, a publication of Sharp HealthCare

Summertime is here, making many of us feel out of sync with our daily routines. This can lead to stress in both mind and body.

To help calm the nervous system and release pent-up energy, try these coping strategies and self-care routines that include all six of your senses:

  • Take a 15-minute walk, three times a day. While walking, listen to nature — the birds chirping, waves crashing and the wind through the trees.
  • Exercise until you produce a sweat — it helps detox the body and build strength.
  • Drink six to eight glasses of water a day to keep your organs healthy.
  • Choose healthy foods with lots of greens, raw nuts, fruits and protein.
  • Breathe — deep breaths bring oxygen to the brain and body.
  • Try yoga or a meditation practice — it grounds and energizes the body.
  • Listen to music and sing out loud.
  • Dance to the sun, moon and stars. Express your feelings through movement.
  • Garden and plant new seeds of hope — they can feed your family, too.
  • Begin a new hobby, such as baking, knitting or birdwatching.

The small actions we practice daily to celebrate our mind, body and soul can have a lasting positive impact for weeks and years to come.

The VEBA Resource Center offers Sound Healing Therapy Classes. You’ll be guided through soothing exercises of breathing, humming, tapping and energy clearing, followed by a deep relaxation meditation and sound bath, leaving you feeling more refreshed and energized. Check out our calendar to sign up for an upcoming class.

3 Everyday Acts of Mindfulness

From Sharp Health News, a publication of Sharp HealthCare

Do you “space out” while showering? Multitask while making coffee? Make mental grocery lists while driving? If so, you’re not alone. Busy days get busier and busier, and it’s easy to lose sight of the task at hand.

Thoughtfully tuning in can improve your concentration and decrease your stress. Try these 3 easy exercises to help you be mindful throughout your day:

Making Coffee

  • Pause at the coffee maker.
  • Smell the coffee beans or grounds.
  • Pay attention to the brewing sounds.
  • Carefully pour the coffee.
  • Slowly taste your first sip.

Driving

  • Start your commute with three deep breaths.
  • Say an intention to drive safely.
  • When stopping in traffic, bring your attention to the cars and people around you.
  • Focus and see the color of the lights.
  • Take a few breaths and proceed if safe.

Walking

  • Take a walk — for leisure, exercise or to get to a destination.
  • Notice everything with curiosity and open awareness.
  • Be aware of your breathing — feel it come in and out.
  • Focus on the sensations of your feet and legs moving, and your arms swinging.
  • Use the sensations to anchor your mindful attention.

The VEBA Resource Center offers Midday Mindfulness Refresh classes. Mindfulness is the quality of paying attention in an open, balanced and curious way. Mindfulness can be applied to all sensory experiences, thoughts and emotions. In this class, explore mindfulness of the body, breath, emotions and heart — an everyday practice you can do to improve your overall quality of life and sense of well-being. Check out our calendar to sign up for an upcoming class.

4 Simple Ways to Care for Yourself

From Sharp Health News, a publication of Sharp HealthCare

We all do our best to take care of ourselves while also taking care of our kids, our aging parents, work, home and other responsibilities. Setting time aside for self-care can be challenging but does wonders to improve our mental and physical health.

So where can you start? Try these four tips to help you get started.

  1. Practice yoga or meditation. Yoga is a great way to improve flexibility and tone muscles while leaving you feeling refreshed and renewed. Meditation can be done practically anywhere and is a quick way to mentally unplug.
  2. Make time for exercise or a brisk walk. Get outside and go for a walk. Enlist a friend to join you, too — having a workout buddy provides health benefits for your heart and soul, plus it’s more fun for everyone involved.
  3. Sample essential oils. Powerful plant extracts such as lavender and eucalyptus can help ease tension and promote calmness in your day. Add some drops to a warm bath at the end of the day or put a few drops into a diffuser at night to help you sleep.
  4. Eat a healthful diet. Choosing healthy options and meals filled with vegetables, fruit, heart-healthy grains and lean protein can help keep your energy level optimized and your health in tip-top shape.

The VEBA Resource Center offers Sound Healing Therapy Classes. You’ll be guided through soothing exercises of breathing, humming, tapping and energy clearing, followed by a deep relaxation meditation and sound bath, leaving you feeling more refreshed and energized. Check out our calendar to sign up for an upcoming class.

Take a Breath

From Sharp Health News, a publication of Sharp HealthCare

Mindful breathing can be a valuable practice to deal with distractions, complexities and stress. It can improve your ability to pay attention and help you regulate your emotions, become calmer and experience fewer negative effects on your physical and emotional health.

Here are 3 breathing exercises you can start practicing.

  • Sitting mindfulness meditation. Use your breath as a focus of attention, placing attention wherever your breath is strongest. At your nostrils, feel your breath come in and out; at your chest, feel the movement up and down; or at your stomach, feel the in and out of your breathing. If you notice that your attention has left your breath, gently bring it back.
  • 7/11. This involves a slow inhalation on the count of seven, and a slow exhalation on the count of 11 to help regulate both respiration and heart rate and calm the sympathetic nervous system, activated during times of stress.
  • S.T.O.P. You can do this any time of day when you encounter stress, challenges and difficult emotions:
    • Stop what you are doing for a moment.
    • Take a few deep breaths.
    • Observe what is going on, bringing attention to the sensations in the body where your stress and emotions register.
    • Proceed with your day.

The VEBA Resource Center offers Sound Healing Therapy Classes. You’ll be guided through soothing exercises of breathing, humming, tapping and energy clearing, followed by a deep relaxation meditation and sound bath, leaving you feeling more refreshed and energized. Check out our calendar to sign up for an upcoming class.

You Deserve a Break: Summer Self-Care Tips for Educators

For more than a year, educators have dedicated themselves to making sure their students are successful, at home and in school. Now, with summer here and our educators finally getting a break to relax and emerge from some COVID restrictions, the VEBA Resource Center has put together tips for good self-care — for your body, mind, and spirit — prior to the re-start of school.

What is Self Care: First, let’s talk about the buzz phrase “self-care.” What does it really mean? Sure, it can mean getting a massage or buying something you want, but “self-care” runs deeper than that. It’s is a mindset, an approach to living that puts your well-being first. For some — especially those who are caring for others — that may seem selfish. It’s not. Many experts agree, you can’t give what you haven’t got. Your cup needs to be full before you can share yourself with others. So, “self-care” means finding ways to sustain your own mental, physical, and spiritual health. Experts with Psychology Today say to start with the basics: get quality sleep (at least 7 to 8 hours per night), eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly.

Find a physical outlet: Running, swimming, yoga…whatever activity suits you can help keep you balanced. Early morning exercise can help ground you and set your elevated mood for the day through the release of endorphins. At the end of the day, those same endorphins can help clear your head and release frustrations that may build up during the day. Check out the VRC class calendar for movement, stretching and fitness classes you can join for FREE!

Choose your commitments: Educators are givers. You give to your students, school, and co-educators as well as your family and community groups. That’s commendable! It can also leave little time for you to refill your cup. So, when asked if you can give your time to something or someone, pause and think about what your schedule says and how you truly feel. Are you drained and depleted? Or energized and passionate about the project/person? In short, don’t spread yourself too thin by saying, “yes” when you want to say, “no.”

Do what makes you happy: Do you love to read or work on your car? Is there a club you want to join? All of these things aim to connect you with what fills you up. So, make it a priority to do something just for you, not because a friend asked or a family member suggested it. What do you want to do? And it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are classes and MeetUp groups that don’t charge anything! The San Diego Tourism Authority has dozens of suggestions for no- or low-cost things to do around the county.

Find some quiet time: Try unplugging completely, even briefly. Put away your phone. Hide the computer. Go somewhere quiet. Head for the ocean, the mountains, or a hiking trail. Connecting with nature is a proven way to reduce stress levels. Our nearly constant connection to each other, the Internet, and electronics can be insidious. We don’t even realize how draining these attention grabbers can be. And — just like powering down a computer can help it reconfigure — disconnecting can help you reboot, too!

Prep and prepare for back to school: ResilientEducator.com recommends that educators spend some time reflecting and prepping for the fall quarter before leaving the classroom for the summer, in order to be better prepared. What worked? What didn’t? “Many of these critiques or changes are fresh in your mind in April or May — when you have a little energy or time to modify them — but fade into the background by August.” Along the same lines, ResilientEducator says professional development courses taken during the summer weeks can help boost confidence and better prepare you for future opportunities.

Your VEBA Resource Center also provides a wide range of individual and group classes – cooking, yoga, and meditation – to boost your self-care efforts. Take a look and let us know how we can support your journey toward better health! And thank you for all that you do!

Give Yourself a Little Love: Tips for Stressed Parents

Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Superman, Captain Marvel. What do they all share? Super powers! Super powers that give them insane amounts of energy, stamina and strength. But what about us regular human beings who don’t have super powers to help get us through life’s daily stressors? Especially parents. Fortunately, the VEBA Resource Center (VRC) is devoted to helping VEBA Members cope with stress and prioritize their mental well-being.

Most parents probably expect some regular stresses in life — such as juggling work, school, activities, chores, errands, and family time — but it can be overwhelming, in some cases, debilitating. When adults are overworked, their own health needs may be easy to set aside. Parents must be mindful of their own health, especially during this unusual time. Below are some tips for how parents can support themselves during times of stress.

  1. Focus on What’s Essential: Set boundaries between work time, family time, and time for yourself.
  2. Plan Out Your Week: Create a weekly routine to establish some predictability.
  3. Be Aware of Your Capacity: Don’t be afraid to say “no” when you have a full plate. Over-committing to additional demands will only increase your stress.
  4. Shut It Off: While it’s good to be informed, take breaks from the news and social media periodically throughout the day. Don’t allow your devices to dominate your day.
  5. Exercise Outside: Make time in your day for exercise. Movement and sunlight provide the necessary neurochemicals we need to enhance our mood, energy and sense of well-being. Read our blog post for ways to sneak exercise into your day.
  6. Get a Good Night’s Sleep: The average adult needs at least eight hours of sleep for restoration. Read our blog post for tips to improve your quality and quantity of sleep.
  7. Eat Healthy: Limit processed foods, simple carbohydrates, alcohol and caffeine. Instead, choose whole food, plant-forward options with whole grains. For healthy recipe inspiration, visit our recipe page.
  8. Take Care of Your Mental Well-Being: Make time for the hobbies and activities which bring you joy, even if only for 10 minutes. Staying socially connected — whether in person, by phone or virtually — will also help improve your mental well-being.

We hope these tips help sustain parents throughout this anxious time in life and parenthood. You are super heroes to us! Please visit the VEBA Resource Center to find free classes and visit our YouTube Channel for on-demand videos to help with stress relief.

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4 Tips for Improving the Quality and Quantity of Sleep

Sleep is an important part of your overall physical and mental health. Depending on how well you sleep can determine how you feel during the day. It helps your body to recover after a workout, sickness or surgery. It helps your brain reset and create new pathways which helps you learn, make decisions easier and retain information better. Sleep deficiency, on the other hand, has been linked to obesity, heart and kidney disease, diabetes and even stroke. 

In order to get a good night’s sleep every night, consider these four tips from VEBA Resource Center’s Director of Coaching, Robert Cappuccio, to improve the quality and quantity of your nightly ZZZ’s. 

Tip #1: Stage Your Sleep Environment

Where you sleep can make a huge difference in how you sleep. About an hour before you are ready for bed, shut off the TV and electronic devices — including your phone! Then, when you are ready to hit the sack, make sure you make your room as dark as possible. Pull the shades, close the blinds and maybe get a sleep mask. 

Another tip to make your sleep sound is to keep your room cool. According to Chris Winter, MD, president of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine in Virginia, your room temperature should be set between 60 – 67 degrees Fahrenheit, with the ideal for improving sleep quality being 65 degrees. Helping your core temperature drop, which naturally happens during sleep, can help you fall asleep faster.

Tip #2: Stay Active

It may seem a little counter-intuitive — get active to sleep better. Daily movement, not too close to bedtime, helps promote better sleep. Just 30 minutes per day of moderate aerobic exercise can positively impact sleep quality, according to Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital. Pick an exercise you like and try to do it every day for better sleep.

Tip #3: Get Outside

It’s also important to soak up the sun! A Finnish study published in the Journal of Neuroendocrinology found that when two groups of rats were exposed to the same amount of light, one group fluorescent, the other natural sunlight, after one week the group that was exposed to natural sunlight produced significantly more melatonin than the group exposed to artificial light. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the Pineal gland that among other things, helps to regulate sleep-wake cycles in the body. Try and get outside everyday to help your sleep journey.

Tip #4: Keep a Worry Journal

Do your worries or what you need to do the next day keep you awake at night? Before bedtime write down the most pressing worries of the day. Also, make a to-do list for the next day and prioritize the top 2-3 items. This way you can file your worries and priorities away for the next day, so they don’t take up any mental bandwidth in your mind at night.

As you embark on your health journey, be sure to include sleep as part of the equation. For more tips on a good night’s sleep, read How to Get Good, Quality Sleep or watch “How to Get Quality Sleep” to reinforce the importance of journaling before bed.

Ways to Destress at the End of the Day

With so much change this school year, you may feel like you are working harder than ever. New routines, new schedules, new ways of delivering information — it all requires energy and brain power which may have you feeling drained at the end of your day.

Learning how to destress at the end of each day not only helps you stay motivated and refreshed, but it also helps your overall health. Keeping stress at bay benefits your physical health in more ways than one, including:

  • Healthier immune system.
  • Better sleep.
  • Improved digestive system.
  • Reduced blood pressure, chronic illness and inflammation.
  • Better weight management.

On the flip side, letting stress overtake you can be detrimental to your health. Stress can lead to chronic illness such as type 2 diabetes and inflammatory diseases. With increased levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in your body, you are more likely to:

  • Keep extra weight on.
  • Become easily fatigued.
  • Develop insomnia, depression and/or anxiety.
  • Have poor self-regulation habits.
  • Age prematurely.

So, what are some ways you can destress at the end of the day? VEBA suggests the following ways to reset and recenter after a long day:

  1. Go for a walk. One of the easiest ways to relieve stress is to go for a walk outside. Take a mindfulness walk in nature and breathe in the fresh air. As you walk, notice the trees, smell the flowers, feel the breeze, listen to the sounds of nature. Being outside on a walk, even if it’s just for 15 minutes, will help clear your mind and relieve your stress.
  2. Journal your thoughts. At the end of each day, journal all of the things from the day for which you are grateful. Try to think of at least 3 positive things that happened and write about them. Focusing on gratitude helps shift your mindset and improves your overall emotional well-being.
  3. Cook a healthy dinner. Eating healthy foods will contribute to overall better health. Taking it one step further, prepare a dinner that is vibrant in natural colors from fruits and vegetables. Be mindful of the preparation and grateful for its bounty. Enjoy the flavors, textures and smells as you savor every last bite.
  4. Take a warm bath or shower. Sometimes, literally washing away your stress is just what you need. Create a relaxing mood. Draw a bath, light some candles and listen to soft music with no words. Add some epsom salts to a hot bath to help relieve stress, pain and to avoid constipation (which can be stressful!). Focus on your breathing and clear your mind.
  5. End your day under the stars. Grab a blanket, some healthy snacks and go watch the sunset at a nearby park, beach or even in your backyard. Then, wait for the moon to rise and the stars to come out and just gaze. Try to let your mind wander and naturally clear the stress of the day.

Whether you choose to walk off, write out or wash away your stress, doing so is beneficial to your health. Intentionally getting rid of it at the end of the day will not only help you feel better but will also prepare you for the days ahead. For more ideas on how to destress after a long day, watch VEBA Resource Center’s Tips on How to Destress or Breathing to Relieve Stress.

3 Tips to Keep Stress In Check

These past several months may have you being pulled in a million different directions. As we have all had to shift our norm, wear different hats as a colleague/parent/teacher and except daily disruptions, factors such as the coronavirus pandemic are having an effect on mental health in America. According to a study conducted by the American Psychological Association, the levels of stress for adults have increased from 4.9/10 in 2019 to 5.4/10 (more for parents at 5.9/10!) in 2020. Learn how you can use meditation, exercise and breathwork to help you keep your stress in check during the day.  

Add Mindful Moments

Adding mindful moments during your day will help keep you on track and productive. Mindfulness is all about being aware in the present moment without judgement.

Allowing yourself five minutes of mindfulness before a big meeting or when your mind is racing, you are more likely to feel centered, more relaxed and aware. 

Try It: Sit in a comfortable seated position with your feet touching the Earth or ground. Close your eyes and bring awareness to your breath. Take a long, slow, deep breath in, followed by a longer, slower, complete breath out. Allow your breath and body to be anchors to the present moment. Every time your mind wonders, bring it back to your breath, bring it back to your body. Repeat for 1-5 minutes and incorporate into your daily routine. 

Exercise for Endorphins

If you are feeling stressed and your brain needs a rest, take some time to get a little exercise. Can’t leave the classroom or your home office? No problem! Incorporate a little yoga into your day to release those “feel good” chemicals called endorphins to help you clear the brain fog and minimize your stress. 

Try It: Get up from your desk and stretch. Starting in Mountain Pose — stand with feet together and arms hanging to your side with palms facing outward — bring your palms together and reach them toward the sky. Stretch to one side and then the other and gently fold forward from the hips and toward your toes. Take three deep breaths. Then slowly rise back up to mountain pose and extend your arms over head and gently reach your upper body back and you press your hips forward. Return to Mountain Pose. Close eyes and feel. Repeat throughout your day. This gentle, full-body stretch will provide much-needed circulation throughout the body and leave you feeling free from aches and pains. 

Breathe In, Breath Out

Think about a time when you were relaxed — maybe it was one day on the weekend while enjoying company or maybe it was right before you fell asleep.  What was your breathing like? Was it frantic and quick, or relaxed and even? Most likely the latter. The practice of deep breathing during a time when you are stressed can help you relax, release tension and reduce stress.

Try It: Long slow inhale, followed by a longer, slower exhale. The inhale provides you with energy to get you through your day, while the exhale facilitates relaxation to keep you calm no matter what situations arise. Try the “Three-Part Breath” to bring in more fresh breath and oxygen and release what no longer serves you — STRESS!

Want more tips? Watch “Breathing to Relieve Stress” and “Tips on How to Destress” on the VEBA Youtube channel.