Good Vibrations: Tapping into Peace of Mind

Emotional wellbeing is the foundation of health in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Everything from work stress and childhood trauma, to struggles in our friendships or the illness of a loved one, takes a toll on how safe we feel inside. In combination with acupuncture, journaling, talk therapy, exercise, and medications, self-massage and tapping can offer tremendous relief.

The Biology of Emotions

Biology and emotions are deeply intertwined. Specific brain regions such as the limbic system, as well as the autonomic nervous system, and the endocrine system create complex interactions between emotions, internal states, physical bodies, and external behaviors. They cause heartrate and body temperature to rise, affect appetite, cause muscles to tighten, and more. These are all common sensations when there is emotional dysregulation.

Acupuncture is an excellent way to influence the release of various hormones and neurotransmitters to help mitigate physical responses to stress and regulate emotions. But what can you do for yourself between acupuncture appointments?

Vagus Nerve and Vibration

The vagus nerve, which originates in the brain stem, is the body's main communication highway between the brain and other organs. It controls involuntary functions like digestion, heartrate, & breathing, and mediates the body's parasympathetic response. While the sympathetic response is the “fight or flight” reaction, the parasympathetic response is for “rest and digest”. When the vagus nerve is stimulated, it signals safety. We can slow down, digest our food in peace, rest, and sleep. Very often, we get stuck in the “fight or flight” response with sleep disturbances, a sense of anxiety, stress, fear, and worry. This makes the breath shallow, and heart beat quickly. Muscles will constrict as if to protect ourselves or to be ready for a fight. 

Medical vagus nerve stimulation uses electrical impulses, often via a surgically implanted device, to stimulate the vagus nerve. Studies show improvements to treatment-resistant depression with this technique. But you can create vibrations in your own body at home to stimulate this nerve and naturally encourage a sense of peace and calm.

Where and How to Tap

The vagus nerve enters the chest via the neck. So tapping along the chest cavity helps create vibrations to stimulate the nerve. It is no coincidence that TCM has acupuncture points in this area related to different organs. When different organs are affected, different emotions will predominate although it is common to have a combination of different emotions simultaneously. 

Heart: Impatience (KD27)

Lung: Grief (KD26)

Spleen: Rumination (KD25)

Liver: Irritability (KD24)

Kidney: Fear (KD23)

Source:  Aucpoint.org

The image shows points on the Kidney channel which correspond to each emotion. With a loose fist, you can tap on your chest from KD27-KD23, from top to bottom. Some points may be more sensitive than others. Spend extra time tapping here. The point in the middle of the chest at the level of the nipples, is another great point to tap lightly if you feel anxiety-related tightness or shallow breathing. 

• Tap gently but firmly.

• Move from top to bottom. Don’t go in different directions.

• Remember to breathe.

• Practice daily. Try for twice a day, morning and night. More often is better.

While the tapping is helpful when you are emotionally dysregulated, it is easier to form healthy habits when you are feeling calm and collected. For this reason, I recommend daily practice, especially when you are having a great day. 

Tapping Tips

Using your hands to heal your body is a gift. It isn’t a chore, just another thing on your to-do list. Approaching self-tapping and self-healing with an attitude of curiosity and attention to the sensations in your body is very important. Below are some tips for getting the most out of your self-care routine.

Intention: Tap with a sense of loving kindness toward yourself. This is an opportunity to connect with your inner environment and not a way to banish uncomfortable sensations. Try speaking with your emotional self using a mantra such as, “I hear you, I feel you, I accept you.” 

Gentleness: Tapping isn’t pounding. Let your touch be firm, but gentle. The aim is to stimulate and create vibrations, not to kick emotions out or to stop them. You are providing space for emotions to be felt, and welcoming them to be released.

Breathing: Studies show that diaphragmatic breathing (breathing from the belly) improves vagal tone. When tapping, focus on lengthening both the inhale and the exhale. If breathing deeply is difficult, that’s ok. Don’t force the breath. Encourage deeper breaths in small increments; it’s more important to slow the breath than to deepen it.

Humming and Sound: Humming creates vibrations that activate the vagus nerve. Exhale with sound. You can try saying “ohm” or just a sound that feels right for you. When you come in for your appointment, ask your practitioner about the specific healing sounds for each emotion.

Regularity: A key feature of most TCM healing strategies is to do them with consistency. It’s better to tap for 30 seconds twice a day, than 10 min once a week. Once you have the habit of tapping for a short period of time, then you can set a goal to lengthen the time to 2-3 min. 

The Healer Within

There are numerous points on the human body that can be tapped or massaged to elicit emotional, mental, and physical relief. Chest tapping is just one option. Speak with your practitioner for more ways that you can tap into the healer within yourself and begin to feel healthier, happier, and more balanced. 

Note: These are general recommendations and may not be appropriate for everyone. A TCM assessment with a licensed practitioner is recommended for suggestions best suited to you as an individual.

Learn more:

1. Vagus Nerve, Psychology Today

2. Acupressure for Emotional Healing, By Beth Ann Henning and Michael R. Gach PhD

3. Impacts of acupressure treatment on depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis