Acupuncturists Pick: Best DIY Acupuncture Points for Lowering Stress, Part IBy Sara CalabroEveryone has a go-to stress response. Some people escape to sunny beaches. Others reach for wine. Many buy things they dont need. Many more ignore it.All stress responses, assuming no one gets hurt or goes banrupt, have their merits. !hatever wors" #owever, many common coping mechanisms for stress are unrealistic, inconvenient, or unsustainable. After all, how many of us can $et off to the %aribbean every time life gets stressful&Acupuncture treatments, as well as the theoretical tenets of acupuncture, have much to offer inthe way of long-term stress reduction. 'ut what about in-the-moment stress relief& (oure about to give a big presentation. (oure waiting to hear about test results. )he turbulence on your flightwont let up. Several acupuncture points can help calm you down.!e ased acupuncturists, what is your all-time favorite acupuncture point for stress reduction&A ey criteria was that the point had to be accessible for performing self-acupressure, so neitheracupuncture needles nor an acupuncturist are re*uired to benefit from these points. )hey can be pressed anywhere, any time for immediate stress reduction.21 Best Acupuncture Points for Stress#ere are +, acupuncture points, recommended by acupuncturists who use them on a regular basis, that can help you calm down in stressful situations. -ress em at wor, on a plane, in an elevator, wherever.Kidney 1.)here is one point on the bottom of the foot thats great for reducing stress,/ says acupuncturist Leona Marrs, of 0os Angeles, %A. .1idney , is the first point on the 1idney channel and is nown for bringing down e2cess energy. )his can be very helpful for someone who is in their head too much, always over thining. )he point reconnects you to the earth and grounds you, allowing you to move forward with greater clarity. 3oing acupressure on 1idney , before bed also helps with stress-related insomnia./Catherine Lumenello, an acupuncturist from )ucson, A4, adds, .'ecause this point is on the 1idney meridian, it helps to nourish reserve energy for the whole body, which tends to get depleted in stressful times. As the lowest point on the body, 1idney , reminds you that no matterhow stressful things get, you have a solid foundation for facing it. )his point is incredibly easy to massage5and even better if you have a partner do it for you"/0earn more about 1idney , and see its location here.Speen !.My favorite point for reducing stress is Spleen 6 (pictured at right),/ says Cayly Christensen, an acupuncturist in -ortland, O7. .)he Spleen is associated with the digestion of food as well asthe processing and digestion of thoughts and e2periences. )reating the Spleen to reduce e2cessive rumination and *uiet an overly analytical mind can be very useful in easing stress..8 have found Spleen 6 to be the most effective point on the Spleen channel for this purpose. 8 believe the location of the point, on the inside of the foot, contributes to its stress-lowering *uality. 8t tends to be a sensitive point, which helps bring people out of their heads and into their bodies./Sto"ac# !$.Often, my patients who come in for stress will report tenderness at Stomach 69,/ says Manhattan, 1S-based acupuncturist Caite Ryba. .:sually by the end of the first treatment, the muscles around the point have rela2ed and the patient reports feeling calm and at peace. )his feeling can last for many days..;rom a !estern perspective, Stomach 69 affects blood circulation to the digestive system and increases gastric secretion, thereby inducing the parasympathetic response. Also, the point fallsover the deep fibular nerve and the anterior tibial artery, the main blood supply for the lower leg. -eople who are stressed tend to hold e2tra tension in the upper body, causing nec tightness, headaches, and shallow breathing. 8ts possible that the increased blood circulation to the lower leg caused by Stomach 69 helps pull that e2tra tension away from the upper body, creating a more calm, rela2ed state./Nancy Byrne, an acupuncturist in (pictured at right) is great for alleviating stress, especially in people who hold tension in the upper trape?ius area,/ says acupuncturist Edward Young, of @upiter, ;0..Spleen > reduces tightness and tension in these muscles, which not only brings down stress but also reduces occipital headaches as well as tightness across the pectoralis muscles and anterior nec muscles,/ says (oung. .)he point is often tender on people who are dealing with alot of stress, particularly women./&a Badder '!.8 have seen and felt remarable things by needling Aall 'ladder B6,/ says acupuncturistJeremyRothenberg, of San ;rancisco. .!e learn in school about A'B6 being the master point of the sinews, so its used for all sorts of muscular pain, especially when the pain is somewhere along the Aall 'ladder channel. 'ut 8ve also noticed that Aall 'ladder B6 seems to =pop the bubble ofstress that people hold around them..:pon needling this point, 8ve seen peoples eyes close, and their ability to fully respond to my *uestioning starts to fade as they deeply rela2. 8 thin the magic of this point has to do with the autonomic nervous system. !hen people are in fight-or-flight, or sympathetic, mode5too often, this is most of the time5their musculature tightens and creates a suit of armor. !hen the sinews are released with Aall 'ladder B6, the muscles rela2 and people let go. )he stress bubble pops and they can finally rela2./0earn more about Aall 'ladder B6 and see its location here.Pericardiu" (.-ericardium C (pictured at right) is easily accessible for self-acupressure,/ says Keith arofalo, an acupuncturist in 7acine, !8. .(ou can immediately feel tension being released when you press it..8n the system of meridian-style acupuncture, the -ericardium channel is paired with the 0iver channel, so pressing this point will balance the 0iver channel and the 0iver organ itself. )his is important because most stress patterns, from an acupuncture perspective, involve the 0iver. Also, -ericardium is a ey go-to for me for headaches, stomach pains and other digestive complaints, and sleep issues5all symptoms that can be caused or e2acerbated by stress./)eart '.#eart B (pictured at right), as the he sea point of the #eart channel, is used in classical acupuncture for counterflow qi,/ says !dam Cantor, an acupuncturist with offices in Alen #ead,