{"id":33599,"date":"2024-10-17T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/?p=33599"},"modified":"2024-10-17T12:54:30","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T12:54:30","slug":"eft-tapping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/eft-tapping\/","title":{"rendered":"I Tried the EFT Tapping Method to Calm My Anxious Thoughts\u2014and It Ended Up Improving My Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While we\u2019re all probably well aware of the\u00a0benefits of meditation<\/a>\u00a0when it comes to helping us sleep better, sometimes, it\u2019s almost impossible to shut your brain off with this activity alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just take it from me: While I\u2019m normally pretty great at meditating without distractions, there have definitely been some stressful moments in my life when no matter how much I meditated, I was unable to calm myself down\u2026which naturally affected my sleep cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I went down a rabbit hole of alternative sleep methods<\/a> and found a tried-and-tested ancient practice that promised to help calm my nervous system down enough to help me fall (and most importantly, stay<\/em>) asleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This method is known as EFT (or tapping), and let me tell you: It\u2019s absolutely life changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is EFT?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

EFT (standing for Emotional Freedom Technique) is an ancient acupuncture practice<\/a> that has its roots in Chinese medicine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept is pretty simple: It believes that your body\u2019s energy travels across specific pathways\u2014and by treating those energy centers or pressure points, you\u2019re able to harness your body\u2019s energy (or chi) to ease a wide variety of ailments, from fatigue and chronic inflammation to\u00a0insomnia<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0anxiety<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EFT involves tapping stress-reducing pressure points on the face, neck, and arms to reduce anxiety. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reason EFT is nicknamed tapping is because you tap stress-reducing pressure points as a means to feel better about anxiety-related issues,\u201d explains\u00a0Jackie Viramontez<\/a>, certified EFT practitioner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are nine pressure (or meridian) points on the face, neck, and arms. Practitioners of this method believe that regular tapping of these meridians helps promote balance in your energy system, she adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does EFT work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

EFT works by acting on your main pressure centers or meridians in the body. You tap on them to balance your energy and help calm your nervous system.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEssentially, the tapping points communicate with the central nervous system and emotional centers of the brain,\u201d says Viramontez. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of each point like a stress “off” switch, she adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Tapping for a few minutes will lower your general stress and anxiety, but if you tap while visualizing a source of stress, you\u2019ll train your brain to stay calm even when you face your triggers\u2014like the sound of your alarm waking you up at 6 am, or the triggering ding of the seatbelt sign on a bumpy flight,\u201d explains Viramontez.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The principle behind EFT tapping is that emotional distress and physical ailments are closely linked to the body’s energy system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By targeting this system, you can alleviate symptoms of anxiety, stress, and other heavy emotions that would otherwise get stored in the body and prevent your day-to-day functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"person
Tapping certain pressure points may be able to help calm your nervous system. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What are the benefits of tapping?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many potential benefits of tapping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTapping not only reduces general stress and anxiety, but it also improves your mental state by redirecting your blood flow back to the brain,” notes Viramontez. “With optimal blood flow in your prefrontal cortex, you can think through challenges more critically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several studies have also indicated that tapping can have a host of other benefits, from quickly reducing stress levels in a few minutes<\/a> to even working as a way to treat PTSD in veterans<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of sleep, a study was done on 60 elderly patients with sleep disorders<\/a> to see whether EFT tapping would be effective in helping them sleep: It was found that 73.3% of the group reported better sleep quality after EFT<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

EFT has also been linked to decreased levels of pain and depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reason tapping is so effective is because it reduces stress, and at its very core, stress is the major reason why people can\u2019t sleep,\u201d says Viramontez. \u201cThink about it: If your mind isn\u2019t racing with worries or hopelessness, you\u2019re more inclined to drift off to sleep and wake up well-rested and ready to face life\u2019s inevitable triggers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to do the EFT method for anxiety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

EFT tapping for anxiety involves a multi-step process. You have to identify the issue, rate the intensity of the issue, create your phrase accepting the issue, tap your points, and then finally rate your intensity level once more, comparing it to your previous intensity level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a step-by-step guide, explaining each point in detail:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Identifying the issue<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first step of the EFT tapping method is to identify the issue that\u2019s causing you anxiety, whether that\u2019s a stressful work situation or the fact that you have a flight to catch the next day,\u201d says Viramontez. \u201cThe more specific, the better, because you\u2019ll then be able to effectively determine how you want to feel regarding the trigger\u2014i.e., whether you want to be more hopeful, compassionate, or accepting about it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viramontez also says it\u2019s important to focus on only one trigger at a time as that\u2019s when tapping is most effective. So, if there\u2019s more than one situation that\u2019s triggering your anxiety, it\u2019s best to tap on each one separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Rating the intensity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This step is pretty straightforward: \u201cOn a scale of zero to 10, with zero being the lowest and 10 being the highest, rate your current emotional state regarding the trigger,\u201d says Viramontez. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s best to do this by visualizing the trigger in your head as this will help you really zone in on how you\u2019re feeling about the trigger (angry, frustrated, etc.) and how intense the emotions are behind them, she adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Creating your phrase<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe phrasing while tapping is particularly important because it establishes acceptance of your current situation, all while making sure your feelings about the situation are validated,\u201d says Viramontez. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most common phrase is, \u201cEven though I feel [insert feeling here], I deeply love and accept myself.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Viramontez also uses a few other variations of this phrase, such as, \u201cI\u2019m open to accepting how I feel, I\u2019m open to having compassion for myself,\u201d or \u201cEven though this experience is stressful, my feelings are valid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line, Viramontez says, is to not overthink the actual phrase but instead put a name to your true emotions about the situation at hand that\u2019s causing you anxiety and preventing you from falling asleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs long as your words feel honest and true, and you\u2019re focused on one trigger at a time, you\u2019re doing it right,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The tapping sequence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve established your phrase, you go to the tapping. There are nine pressure points located across the face, neck, and body that you tap repeatedly in a sequence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pressure points are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n