Hello Friends,
Week 3 of No Stress Summer! This week’s challenge was gua sha.
This post explores the science behind how this challenge can help alleviate stress, shares personal reflections from each day of the challenge, offers my overall thoughts on the experience, provides guidance on whether to try it and offers tips for success. I hope you enjoy my Week 3 round-up and subscribe to stay up-to-date with my No Stress Summer Challenges, available here throughout the summer!
The Science
A significant amount of research has been conducted on the effects of gua sha on stress levels. Facial massage with gua sha stimulates the vagus nerve, a key player in regulating stress and calming the nervous system. A gentle touch can also release oxytocin, thereby increasing feelings of safety and promoting a soothing effect.
According to Osteo Tuina, “Gua Sha acupuncture is effective for reducing stress and anxiety by calming the nervous system and promoting relaxation.”
Healthline reported that using a gua sha can promote the healing of various conditions, including those related to a malfunctioning nervous system.
Daily Reflections
Day 1: Today is day one, and I am trying to keep an open mind; however, this was not my most favourite experience. I’m not sure if I’m using the wrong technique or if I just haven’t become accustomed to it yet, but it hasn’t delivered much for me. I will conduct further research tonight and give it another try tomorrow.
Day 2: It turns out that you are supposed to use a serum or face oil to make the experience more enjoyable. I guess I should have realized that from the start, yet here we are. You live and you learn, I think lol. So I used a face serum today, and it was a much more enjoyable experience. I still want to do more research on proper techniques, but I think we are moving in the right direction.
Day 3: Last night, I conducted further research on how to perform gua sha properly. The only fair way to do these challenges is to give each one my full effort. That way, I can provide you all a fair and real report on which ones are worth doing. With my new knowledge, I approached today with an open mind and a hope for better results. I read last night that keeping the gua sha refrigerated can improve the experience and benefits. This information, combined with using a serum, truly revolutionized the experience. Gua sha is most definitely winning me over.
Day 4: I’ve gotten into a more consistent gua sha routine, which is nice because it requires me to think less about what to do and how to do it. I can enjoy it more now that I’m not as worried about doing it correctly or forgetting a step.
Day 5: I am in a groove and enjoying it! Using my gua sha is definitely helping me release stress and tension I hold from my day, which I think is contributing to my better sleep, which is really lovely. I can’t stress the difference: the face serum + refrigeration combo changes the game!
Day 6: Still smooth sailing! I am happy to report that the second half of the week has gone much better than the first half! I’m glad I stuck with it and saw the week through, as I’ve really come to enjoy using my gua sha.
Day 7: I dropped my gua sha, and it shattered… whoops. I am so sad. I attempted to simulate my gua sha by using my hands to give myself a facial massage…not quite as effective. Guess I’m heading out to the store to get a new one today to continue my gua sha journey beyond my week-long challenge.
Final Thoughts
I will admit this one is a bit of a learning curve. It was a growing process that required a bit more commitment and persistence than the other challenges have for me. If you had asked me after day one if this challenge was a no-stress, summer-approved one, I would have said absolutely not. Frankly, I could have put my gua sha in a drawer and never touched it again. However, because I wanted to give it a fair chance to receive a fair review, I stuck with it, and I am glad I did.
In terms of stress relief, I found it very calming once I got used to it. By day 4, it was definitely beginning to help me relax. I have found that it gets more relaxing each day as I become more accustomed to doing it. That being said, I try to keep it short and sweet, just as I do with all aspects of my nighttime routine. (Leave a comment if you’d like a nighttime routine rundown blog post.)
Now, the moment you have all been waiting for is using a gua sha. No Stress Summer Approved…frum roll please…(bbbbrrrrdddddddd…I have no idea how to write a drum roll)…yes. It is No Stress Summer Approved, as I did find it helpful in reducing my stress once I got the hang of it.
My Recommendations
Should you try Gua Sha? Yes, IF you are wanting to commit to something that will likely take time to adapt into your routine. If you are looking for something that will give you instant stress relief, this may not be the exercise to choose. Now that is based on my experience. You could very well hit it off with gua sha from day one. As with all of my reviews, take my advice with a grain of salt and apply it to your life how you see fit. If you are curious about any of the other benefits of gua sha, in addition to stress reduction, then I say it is 100% worth a try. However, if you are looking for a stress reduction technique, I would suggest trying others before this one.
Mmm, that made me think of an idea: Would anyone be like it if I kept a running ranking of my No Stress Summer Challenges? I could post it on my blog and my socials. I could also send it out to my email list. (Subscribe here if you haven’t already.) Please let me know if that sounds like something you’d like access to.
Laura’s Guide to Gua Sha
- Watch a video on YouTube or TikTok or read up on it to familiarise yourself with gua sha techniques.
- Put your gua sha in the fridge to add a calming, cooling sensation to the facial massage.
- Use a face oil or serum…trust me, this will make or break your experience.
- Try out different times to find the one that works best for you. I found evenings to be the best for me because they helped me relieve tension from my day. However, I could see how it would be a pleasant and refreshing way to start the day. Especially if you keep your gua sha in the fridge.
Until next time, my friends!
P.S. I’m proud of you 😉