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Insomnia is a fairly common sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep or even causes you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep.

Some of us may experience short periods of insomnia for a few days or weeks due to the crunch-time period or other temporary reasons, while others have insomnia for months at a time.

The good news is, acupressure may provide some relief. Acupressure involves using physical touch to stimulate pressure points that correspond to different aspects of physical and mental health.

While there are professionals out there, you can also try stimulating pressure points on your own. Learn about the five pressure points you can try below for better sleep!

1. Three-yin intersection

The three-yin intersection point is located above your ankle, on your inner leg.

To treat insomnia: 

1. Locate the highest point on your ankle
2. Count four finger widths up your leg, above your ankle
3. Apply deep pressure slightly behind your biggest lower-leg bone, massaging with circular or up-and-down motions for four to five seconds

*Do not use this pressure point if you're pregnant

2. Inner frontier gate

The inner frontier gate point is found on your inner forearm between two tendons.

To treat insomnia: 

1. Turn your hands over so that your palms are facing up.
2. Take one hand and count three finger widths down from your wrist crease.
3. Apply a steady downward pressure between the two tendons in this location.
4. Use a circular or up-and-down motion to massage the area for four to five seconds.

3. Spirit gate

The spirit gate point is located at the crease on your outer wrist, right below your pinkie finger.

To treat insomnia: 

1. Feel for the small, hollow space in this area and apply gentle pressure in a circular or up-and-down movement.
2. Continue for two to three minutes.
3. Hold the left side of the point with gentle pressure for a few seconds, and then hold the right side.
4. Repeat on the same area of your other wrist.

4. Bubbling gate

The bubbling spring point is located on the sole of your foot. It's the small depression that appears just above the middle of your foot when you curl your toes inward.

To treat insomnia: 

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent so you can reach your feet with your hands.
2. Take one foot in your hand and curl your toes.
3. Feel for the depression on the sole of your foot.
4. Apply firm pressure and massage this point for a few minutes using a circular or up-and-down motion.

5. Wind pool

The wind pool point is located on the back of your neck. You can find it by feeling for the mastoid bone behind your ears and following the groove around to where your neck muscles attach to the skull. 

To treat insomnia: 

1. Clasp your hands together and gently open your palms with your fingers interlocked to create a cup shape with your hands.
2. Use your thumbs to apply deep and firm pressure toward your skull, using circular or up-and-down movements to massage this area for four to five seconds.
3. Breathe deeply as you massage the area.

Try out the above with an additional lavender-scented essential oil to enhance the overall effect to treat insomnia!