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If you’ve ever woken up with annoying pain in your neck or back, you may benefit from using an acupressure mat to get some much-needed relief. There’s one you can get right now on Amazon that reviewers can’t get enough of, with over 32,000 five-star ratings: the ProsourceFit acupressure mat.
This eye-catching cushioned mat uses a similar technique to acupuncture and may offer a variety of health benefits, including muscle recovery, increased blood circulation and back and neck pain relief. Right now, you can grab it on sale for as low as $18.72, down from its regular price of $29.99. That’s as much as 35% off the list price. Reviewers say this mat is so good, it feels like their muscles are “melting” with relief — especially for their back and neck.
This type of pain relief is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. To find out how these mats work, we spoke with Eileen Li, a second generation licensed acupuncturist at Anew Integrative Acupuncture in Greenwich, Connecticut, who is also a licensed physical therapist and Chinese herbalist.
“Chinese medicine practitioners used anatomy and physiology to create specific points and channels on the body. Each point in the channel is rich in blood supply and nerve endings and they help improve the body’s blood circulation and regulate our nervous system, which is rich in hormones and natural painkillers,” Li said.
Traditional Chinese medical theory holds that these channels (also called meridians) connect to specific organs in our body, and when an ailment is present, an imbalance is the culprit. Thus, acupuncture or acupressure can be done to help bring relief and restore balance.
But unlike traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture, which has been used for thousands of years, acupressure mats aren’t designed to target specific pressure points and instead may provide more general body relief.
The ProsourceFit acupressure mat is designed with plastic spikes that have 27 built-in acupressure points each (a total of 6, 210 points) to stimulate blood circulation throughout your body while you lie on it, resulting in the release of endorphins, which can bring pain relief. The mat also comes with a matching pillow that has acupressure points designed for neck support and headache relief.
“The spikes are dull enough to stimulate the entire body, so it’s a more general approach that can have a decent impact,” Li said. “I wouldn’t say it’s a great introduction entirely to acupuncture, because in our medicine, the more specific you can get, the better. However, the acupressure mat is a nice introduction to learning about Chinese medicine.”
For beginners to acupressure or acupuncture, Li stressed the importance of taking your time getting acclimated to the mat and only using it for no more than 20 minutes at a time.
“Start slow, and know that it takes your body around two to five minutes to adapt to a new stimulus, so you don’t want to lay on it and then get off of it right away,” she said. “You want to slowly ease yourself into it. If you can’t tolerate the entire mat, put a couple of different props on the mat, like a towel on certain sections, so you’re separating your body into sections.”
The mat comes in multiple vibrant colors like pink, orange, purple, green and blue, so you don’t have to have to deal with it being an eyesore in your home. Plus, out of all the thousands of five-star reviews for the ProsourceFit acupressure mat, many mention it being particularly useful for back and neck relief, including these:
“I was initially hesitant about trying an acupressure mat, but I decided to give the ProsourceFit set a shot. I’m so glad I did! At first, the sensation is a bit intense, but you quickly get used to it. After a few minutes, I felt a deep sense of relaxation. It’s like a mini-massage for your back and neck. I’ve been using it regularly to relieve tension after a long day, and I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my sleep quality. It might take some getting used to, but I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s a surprisingly effective and affordable way to relax and relieve stress.” — Julie A.
“I have fibromyalgia and have spent hundreds of dollars on various pain remedies throughout the years. Most things haven’t really helped, including physical therapy ― the only thing that would provide relief was Tylenol and scalding hot showers. This mat appears to be invented by a sadist and it definitely HURTS, but with regular use my pain has become much, much better. It also helps relieve pain when it happens, but I’ve found it to be more useful in reducing pain generally rather than addressing a particular pain spot. My best evidence of its effectiveness is that I get extremely thirsty after massages and the same thing happens when I lie on the mat for 20-40 minutes. I don’t know what the thirst means (a quick Google says something about the lymphatic system?) but I take it as a sign that this mat actually does something for my knotted-up muscles. I love the mat so much that I made the following meme. I hope it helps in your decision on whether to purchase this.” — RB
“I’ve been dealing with back problems for a while now, and someone recommended I try an acupressure mat. I lay on it while watching TV—it’s a great way to relax and unwind. There is a noticeable difference when lying on it on carpet versus hardwood floors. The carpet makes it feel a little softer, while the hardwood gives you a more intense experience. If you take your shirt off, you’ll definitely feel it more, but that can actually be a good thing if you’re looking for a deeper sensation. Standing on the mat also provides a surprising amount of relief for my feet, even more than it does for my back. It’s a nice way to stimulate circulation and get the blood flowing. I think this mat is great for relieving tension and promoting relaxation. It’s especially helpful for keeping your blood moving after long periods of sitting or standing. I’ve been using it daily, and I’m already feeling the benefits. Highly recommend it for anyone dealing with muscle soreness or just looking for a simple way to relieve stress!” — Cara
“I stayed at my brother’s house and he has one of these without the neck pillow, from the expensive brand. The first time I tried his, I thought he was nuts bc it hurt when I stood on it (barefoot). Then, afterwards, I felt a calm over my entire body that I’ve never felt before. So I put thin socks on and stood on it again. I slept SOOO deeply and peacefully that night. The entire week I stayed at his house, I kept standing on it with thin socks and felt this incredible calm wash over me completely. As soon as I got home, I ordered this one which included the neck pillow (and is much less expensive than his). I never thought to lay on it bc I only stood on my brother’s. I just layed on this thing with a thin shirt. I cannot even tell you how good it feels (pleasure and pain are right next to each other. Lol). It feels SOOO good to me when I’m laying and standing on it! Then, the peace and calm that I feel after I’m off it is mind blowing to me. I’m hooked on this thing. I find it funny bc the first time I tried it, I thought my brother was out of his mind. Give it a try. It might grow on you. 💕” — K
“[…] I started by just using the bottom part of the mat because my back went out on me and I was in severe pain, couldn’t sleep, etc. I put a sheet on the pillow and upper 1/3 of the mat. The first 30 seconds was painful but I accepted the pain hoping it would get better like the brochure says (it comes with a nice brochure explaining how to use it for different aches and pains). Within the first minute the pain started to diminish. In about 3 minutes I could feel my muscles “melting” into the mat. That’s the only way to explain the feeling. I spent about 20 minutes on it and kept feeling different parts of my back really relax for the first time in weeks. Just when I thought my body was fully relaxed, I would feel another muscle “melt”. I love it!! I am now up to 1 hour after only a week of using it. I tried using it “full mat with pillow” but the upper part of my back is just too sensitive to anything so I stopped doing the upper part of my back. My neck hated it the first couple of times, but now my neck feels really good when I lay on it. (It’s like my body thinks it’s being attacked and goes on full alert the first time. But afterwards it starts realizing that it’s not going to harm me and doesn’t send off a bunch of warning bells to my body.)” — dazzlecat (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)