Experience Restful Sleep with Simple Scalp Gua Sha Techniques

In today's fast-paced and stressful world, poor sleep quality, headaches and drowsiness have become increasingly common. Many people resort to over-the-counter or prescription medications to seek relief. However, there is a natural and ancient technique that offers a gentle yet effective solution – scalp gua sha and massage. Derived from traditional Chinese medicine, scalp gua sha involves gentle scraping and massaging of the scalp's acupressure points to alleviate headaches, promote relaxation, and enhance mental clarity. In this blog post, we will explore the techniques of how to use a sandalwood scalp massage comb to help relieve headaches and poor sleep quality.

Understanding scalp gua sha and why it works

Scalp gua sha is an extension of the traditional gua sha technique, which involves applying pressure to the skin to improve blood circulation and release tension. Headaches can stem from various causes, including tension, stress, poor circulation, or muscle tightness. Our scalp contains seven main meridians and over 50 acupressure points, some of which are very beneficial for relieving headaches and drowsiness. Scalp gua sha utilizes a gua sha tool to gently scrape the scalp's surface and massage related acupressure points, addressing these underlying issues by increasing blood flow to the scalp, relaxing tense muscles, and releasing built-up tension. The common tool used for this technique is the wide-tooth sandalwood scalp massage comb, also known as the meridian scalp massage comb due to its design. This technique can be performed by oneself or with the assistance of a trained practitioner.

How to relieve headaches and bad sleep via scalp gua sha?

(For a quick answer, feel free to check our tutorial video here IG and Tiktok)

Method 1: On your scalp

First, you need to know two acupressure points: Baihui and Sishencong.

Baihui (Du 20)

• Chinese Name: Baihui (English translation: Hundred Meetings)
• Location: Place your thumbs at the tops of your ears and extend your middle fingers to the point where they meet – at the top of your head (crown).
• Used for:

1. Vertigo, dizziness, headache
2. Coma, apoplexy, hemiplegia, aphasia
3. Prolapse of rectum, prolapse of uterus
4. Manic psychosis, insomnia

Sishencong

• Chinese Name: Sishencong (English translation: Four Spirit Alert)
• Location: A group of four points at the vertex of the head, 1.0 cun respectively anterior, posterior, and lateral to DU 20.
• Used for:

1. Headache, vertigo
2. Insomnia, poor memory

Gua sha techniques:

Use the TanmuCare Sandalwood Scalp Massage Comb to stimulate these acupressure points and gently scrape radially. Compared to using your own fingers, it is easier to apply some pressure and massage your scalp for better results. The wide teeth of the massage comb are very smooth, so it will not cause discomfort when scraping your scalp.

Method 2: Behind Each Earlobe

Acupressure point: Anmian

• Chinese Name: Anmian (English translation: Peaceful Sleep)
• Location: The An Mian points are located on either side of the neck. To locate them, place a finger behind each earlobe and move the fingers just behind the bony protrusion. Applying light pressure is sufficient.
• Used for:

1. Insomnia, headaches
2. Palpitations, restlessness
3. Functions: Calms the Shen, soothes the Liver.

Gua sha technique:

Using the ball head of the massage comb, apply pressure to the Anmian acupressure points and scrape downward towards your neck to relieve tension.

Method 3: On Your Wrist

Acupressure point: Heart 7

(HT 7 is the point for addressing emotional issues, particularly excessive anxiety and worry.)

• Chinese Name: Shenmen (English translation: Spirit Gate, representing a door to access our spirit, mind, and emotions)
• Location: Draw a line straight down your palm starting between your ring finger and little finger and moving down to your wrist. The point is at the intersection of this line and the largest wrist crease closest to the palm. 
• Used for:

1. Insomnia, amnesia
2. Cardiac pain, palpitations due to fright, irritability, chest pain
3. Mania, epilepsy, stupor

Gua sha technique:

Use the ball head of the massage comb or your fingers to apply pressure to the HT 7 Shenmen acupressure point, scraping downward towards your fingertips to relieve tension.

By incorporating this ancient technique into your self-care routine, you can find relief from headaches and promote better sleep in a natural way! Grab your sandalwood scalp massage comb and experience its benefits!