Acupressure mats are trendy: They are intended to relieve pain and help you relax. The best tips for more sustainable Shakti mats and their effect.
The acupressure mat – or Shakti mat – is said to have many positive effects. But what exactly makes this mat work? Can it really help against back pain and tension? We show what the current studies on mats show and have scoured the market for more sustainable models.
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All content at a glance:
- What is an acupressure mat?
- Acupressure mat: The right application
- Effect of an acupressure mat
- Are there sustainable acupressure mats?
- Acupressure mat: The Utopia recommendations
What is an acupressure mat?
Boards of nails were originally used by yogis to release blockages, and “fakirs” used them to show off their supposed freedom from pain in front of an audience. Their popular successors are acupressure mats, which have their origins in the modern yoga scene in Sweden.
An acupressure mat is a mat with small plastic tips (spikes) on which you lie with your back and shoulders – there is a separate neck pillow for the neck. The common dimensions for an acupressure mat are either 68 x 42 cm or 74 x 44 cm.
The fewer needles, the more painful
The plastic needles are arranged on plates. There are around 20 to 30 tips per plate. The following applies: the fewer tips the acupressure mat has, the more intense the pressure effect. If a mat is equipped with many tips, the pressure is distributed better, making it less painful to lie on. Most mats have around 6,000 tips.
A standard Shakti mat has 6210 tips, but for beginners there are also models with over 8280 needles. Experienced acupressure mat users sometimes use only 4,140 needles.
I have owned an acupressure mat for about three years.
Acupressure mat: The right application
Using an acupressure mat is extremely easy: you set an alarm clock for ten to 15 minutes; lies with his back on the mat and relaxes. Children and anyone else who is particularly sensitive to pressure can leave a T-shirt on.
You can also use the Shakti mat for other areas of the body such as feet, legs, hands and arms. Essentially, it’s always about placing the tense part of your body on the spikes.
Effect of an acupressure mat
Acupressure mats should have a variety of effects. This is what Shakti mats are supposed to do
- stimulate blood circulation,
- Provide muscles with better oxygen and nutrients,
- relax the fascia and
- can release pain-relieving messenger substances by activating the pain receptors.
When manufacturers advertise their mats with these promises of effectiveness, they often rely on the positive reviews from users. But its effectiveness has not been sufficiently proven scientifically.
Stiftung Warentest also looked into acupressure mats in 2001. However, in the acupressure mat test, the testers were not really convinced. Although they concluded that the mats may lead to relaxation after the end of the session, they also concluded: “A specific therapeutic benefit cannot be derived from this ‘acupressure’.”
The number of studies on the healing method acupressure in general and acupressure mats in particular is also extremely thin and not very informative.
There is at least a relatively recent study from the Italian University of Padua from 2021 on acupressure mats: The researchers examined the effect of acupressure mats as an aid for non-specific pain in the lower back (chronic back pain).
44 patients performed various exercises – half with and half without a Shakti mat. The scientists found that the acupressure mat “increases” pain relief. In addition, the mats are safe, tolerable and inexpensive. They are easy to use at home and are therefore suitable for long-term back pain treatment at home.
This comparatively small study probably cannot serve as reliable evidence of the high effectiveness of acupressure mats. However, at least from a scientific perspective, it provides some indications of possible positive effects.
When using it, it is best to always pay attention to how your body feels. An acupressure mat cannot replace professional medical treatment. If you suffer from health problems such as severe back pain, we strongly advise you to visit a doctor you trust.
Are there sustainable acupressure mats?
According to our research, there is no acupressure mat made from 100% sustainable materials. At least the spikes in the models we know are made of plastic – mostly petroleum-based. If you want the tips to be made of metal or wood, a Sadhu board might be of interest to you. According to the product description, such “real” nail boards are intended to help advanced yogis “strengthen resistance and feel full of energy.”
Spikes are made of plastic
The plastic is usually acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). From the point of view of hygiene, safety and durability, this material is a justified choice due to its robustness and durability. But it is not sustainable. Some manufacturers advertise that ABS is 100 percent recyclable. However, in practice this is hardly the case: Since the plates are inextricably glued to the material of the mat, it does not belong in the yellow bin, but will instead end up in the residual waste at the end of its life.
Acupressure mats with organic cotton are rare
Many manufacturers use cotton or half-linen as the material for the mat. Shakti and Mysa are the only brands we know of that claim to use organic cotton. Shakti’s cotton also carries the GOTS seal.
Eco-Mat: Coconut fiber and buckwheat hulls replace foam
It is positive that many manufacturers do not use foam when filling the acupressure mat. Instead, coconut fibers have become established as filling material. So-called eco models usually use buckwheat hull filling for the pillows.
Acupressure mats: Fair production or cheap import?
There are many small German companies that sell acupressure mats with their logo. Unfortunately, they don’t say a word about where they have them produced. It makes sense to assume that the various mats (including those made from natural fibers) all come from the same Chinese factories. You can buy hundreds or thousands of acupressure mats from wholesalers for a few US dollars each and brand them with your own logo.
The only fairly produced acupressure mats we currently know of come from the Shaktimat company.
Acupressure mat: The Utopia recommendations
Shaktimat: manufactured under fair working conditions
In our opinion, the Shaktimat is the best acupressure mat currently available on the market. Both from an ecological and social perspective. It is manufactured at the Gratitude Factory in Varanasi, India. There are 80 women employed there who, according to Shakti, are paid fairly and receive other social benefits. There is an educational program for the workers’ daughters so that they can enjoy school education until they are 18 years old.
Shakti uses organic cotton that is GOTS certified and a filling made of 100 percent recycled foam. The 6210 tips made of ABS plastic are approved for medical use, according to Shakti.
Buy: for around 70 euros at Shaktimat, Goodbuy or Amazon
Shakti-Matte Light: Acupressure mat for beginners
If you are looking for a gentle introduction to the world of acupressure mats, Shaktimat also offers entry-level models with over 8,000 tips. The higher number of tips allows the weight to be better distributed, meaning you feel less pressure on the mat.
The beginner acupressure mat comes from fair production and is made of GOTS-certified organic cotton.
Buy: for 70 euros at Shaktimat, Goodbuy or Amazon
Mysa mat with natural materials
In addition to the ShaktiMat, the Mysa acupressure mat is one of the best-known on the market. The Swedish manufacturer Mysa uses “untreated plant fiber filling” instead of foam and uses cotton for the cover. However, Mysa does not provide any information about the production facility. The tips of the mat are made of ABS plastic. Mysa only speaks oracularly about their number. But we counted (no joke!): There are 6930 pieces!
The Mysa mat was also the subject of the independent study from Italy mentioned above.
Buy: for around 65 euros on Amazon
By the way: You can find current discount codes for Shaktimat and many other shops on our voucher platform.
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