Gua Sha therapy has long been used to treat different conditions. But one of our favorite rituals is for relaxing, bedtime routine to release tension, relieve stress after a hard day, and improve sleep. In particular, Gua Sha eliminates the pain and clamps in the neck and shoulders, activates the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for rest and relaxation, recovers your muscles if you like to visit the gym in the evening, and treats insomnia. So watch and follow the full ritual with Renée @gothamista and enjoy the long-awaited relaxation.
Gua Sha Relaxing Ritual: YINA's Choice
This massage focuses on the jaw, neck, décolletage, arms, hands as tension builds up there at the end of the day. We usually recommend massaging each area for 3-5 times. But your main guide should be the pink color of the skin and the pleasant warmth that spreads over the area being massaged.
Apply some essential oil or décolletage balm to the indicated parts of the body
Place the Gua Sha on the jaw with its higher curve point at a 40 degree angle
Move with stroking movements from the jaw to the ears, massaging the line just under the jawbone. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.There are lymph nodes in this area so be soft and gentle when applying Gua Sha.
Flip the Gua Sha so its higher curve is on the top of the jaw bone
Continue moving towards the ear in a pressing motion to relieve this branch of the stress and tension that builds up when we talk or chew
Move Gua Sha to the An Mian acupressure point (behind the lobes of both ears) and massage it for 2-3 minutes in a circular motion to get rid of insomnia, restless sleep, and headaches
Make a few combing movements using Gua Sha downside of your neck to the clavicle
Massage towards the back of your neck down to the shoulder
Work on the center sternum of your neck. Draw Gua Sha up the neck to the chin several times.
Place the Gua Sha on the chest and move from the center outwards to the shoulder, just move away from the heart.
Focus on the shoulders and armpits and massage them in a circular motion to release tension
Place the Gua Sha on your wrist and move the tool smoothly towards the inside of your forearms and upper arms
Massage the carpal tunnel of each hand in a circular motion
Use ripple side of the Gua Sha to massage each palm from wrist to fingertips
Press the instrument on the Lao Gong acupressure point (between the index and middle fingers) to calm the heartbeat and get rid of insomnia
Finally, pass the tool from the carpal tunnel to the thumb.
Bonus Gua Sha Relaxing Techniques
We believe that there can never be too much relaxation, especially if you have a pretty rough day. Therefore, you can extend your pleasant and meditative Gua Sha massage to the following areas:
Forehead. Move Gua Sha from center line to the temple, repeat for both sides
Eye zone. Place Gua Sha under the brow and move towards the temple. Then move the tool under the eyes to the bridge of the nose and continue moving towards the temple.
Mouth. Gently massage the circle around your lips, paying special attention to the point right on your nose.
By adding these branches to your evening Gua Sha ritual, you will better deal with facial tension. In addition, there are important acupressure points on the face that calm your spirit and help you deal with stress, anxiety, and insomnia. Thanks to this, you will go to sleep with a sense of peace and harmony and wake up rested.
