Healthy Habits: Combining acupressure and aromatherapy

Pairing pressure points with essential oils can deepen their effects, easing stress, quieting tension and helping the mind stay clear.

Knowing these points and having a few of your favorite essential oils on hand can help you think clearly and respond calmly during job interviews, test-taking, speeches and presentations.
Acupressure, rooted in the same tradition as acupuncture, uses touch instead of needles. Specific points on the body correspond to the nervous system and emotional balance. Pressing these points can lower measured anxiety, steady the heart rate and tell the brain to shift out of fight‑or‑flight mode.
One of the easiest points to find sits between the eyebrows. Press or gently circle this area while breathing slowly for a minute. It can help slow down overthinking and relax forehead tension. This can be used before stepping up to a podium to speak, for example, because it is effective and discreet.
Another common pressure point is on the inner wrist, about two to three finger widths below the crease, between two tendons. To use it, gently press with the thumb of the opposite hand, then pause and repeat a few times. This point soothes nervous energy and settles the stomach, which is handy before travel or any moment that calls for calm focus.
The web between your thumb and index finger is an easy spot to release built-up tension. Press with the opposite thumb and hold for several breaths. You can do this discreetly under your desk at work or school or while clasping your hands. This point is widely used, though pregnant women should avoid it, along with other pressure points around the ankle and wrist.
Place your hand flat on the center of your chest and press gently for a few seconds while breathing deeply. This can help ease chest tightness and emotional stress. It’s especially useful before difficult conversations or meetings.
The top of the shoulder, halfway between the neck and the outer edge of the shoulder, is another point. Gently pinch or press this area with the opposite hand to release physical tension and mental fatigue, such as after long hours at a desk or on the road.
Ear acupressure is also calming. A small hollow near the top center of the ear, called the “heavenly gate,” is linked to the nervous system. Press or massage delicately on each side. You can also pinch both earlobes gently to reset your focus before or during stressful tasks.

In studies, ear acupressure has lowered test anxiety and stabilized heart rate and blood pressure in students. Each of the body’s systems has a corresponding acupressure point on the ear, as well as on the bottoms of the feet.
Use “Vulcan hands” and glide up toward the ears to hit the pressure points around the ears. A full ear and foot massage, as well as massaging the wrists and hands daily, supports overall balance and relaxation and is a great habit to start.
During your work or school day, try pausing for a three‑minute reset, cycling between applying pressure to points on the hand web, inner wrist, ears and shoulders. After a demanding conversation or task, you can take a moment to use acupressure as quick self‑care.
Lavender essential oil adds a soothing layer. The therapeutic type, Lavandula angustifolia, can be diluted in a carrier like jojoba, coconut, olive or castor oil for use on acupressure points. Applying a small amount to the wrist, fingertips or palms allows you to combine acupressure with aromatherapy. Your body feels the pressure while the brain processes the aroma, reinforcing the calming effect.

At night, massaging acupressure points with aromatherapy can help you unwind. Pair them with slow breathing in dim light to cue the body for rest. Gently massage the area just below the ball of the foot — the solar plexus point or arch — to calm nerves before bedtime. Use your fists to massage the heel and give each toe a tug to release tension, as practiced in modalities such as Thai massage.
If you experience stomach knots before an exam or other stress-inducing task, try dabbing a drop of lavender on a tissue, inhale slowly, then press the wrist and hand‑web points. Or dilute the essential oil of your choice and apply it directly on your fingertips before gently massaging pressure points.

Keep a roller bottle of diluted essential oils that work best for you in your desk at work, purse, briefcase, gym bag, school locker or vehicle glove compartment. That way, you’ll always have this simple, natural tool handy to use with acupressure before a presentation, speech, test or game.

For many, the greatest benefit of acupressure and essential oils lies in the sense of control they provide. Anxiety often feels automatic; a small, steady routine gives the hands and mind something constructive to do. Sometimes a few moments of focused touch and breath can mean the difference between freezing up and moving forward.

Here are several more essential oils, in addition to lavender, that can be helpful for application during acupressure. These pairings draw from aromatherapy practices that combine the oil’s inhaled and absorbed benefits with pressure on specific points to enhance effects like relaxation, focus or relief.