Self Massage for Better Energy and Better Mood

If you are like me, you spend quite a bit of time at a desk in front of a computer screen. People like us are frequently referred to as “knowledge workers.” Sounds pretty nice, right? It has a hefty price tag attached to that fancy name though. Hours of sitting and staring can drain your energy, and make you sleepy and tired, which may even turn into outright exhaustion during the premenstrual phase.

My Chinese masseuse taught me an extremely simple technique tailored for “knowledge workers” like us who desire simplicity, efficiency and convenience, even when it comes to health and wellbeing.

This morning while I was doing my 5-minute heart massage, I took a few pictures to share with you, so you can learn this simple technique as well.

First, relax your body, smile and open your right palm.

Hit your upper chest with your palm. Imagine you are patting your chest like a proud gorilla. All right, you may not be a gorilla fan like me, so think of something else to get in touch with your primal spirit.

Repeat the movement, and hit your middle chest with your palm. Remember to relax your arm, palm, and fingers while you swing them.

Continue down and hit your lower chest next. You may want to reduce the pressure as you move down from the upper chest to the lower chest.

Return and hit your heart center again. Smile some more!

This time swing your arm and palm toward the left and hit your left chest.

Change hands, and hit your heart center with our left palm.

Then swing to the right and hit your right chest with your left palm.

Now repeat this sequence several times.

Try it out. Find your own movements and rhythms. The key is to relax your swings, find the pressure that works for you, and to smile while you are doing it.

This simple technique is quite effective in pumping up some blood and energy (Qi) into your body. In a few minutes you’ll certainly find yourself more energized and in a better mood. And the beauty is that you can do it at anytime and almost anywhere.

Take a break from your desk, swing your palms, and give yourself a few minutes of heart message. Enjoy!