The wisdom from Donguibogam stating that the heart is the monarch of our mental activities aligns remarkably well with modern medicine. The chest tightness, palpitations, fatigue, and burnout symptoms that appear during chronic stress precisely match the phenomena that occur when autonomic nervous system balance is disrupted.
The autonomic nervous system is a neural network responsible for functions essential to sustaining life, such as heartbeat, respiration, digestion, and blood pressure regulation, without our conscious control. Here, the sympathetic nerve responsible for excitement and activity and the parasympathetic nerve responsible for rest and recovery operate in balance like a seesaw. However, continuous stress excessively activates the sympathetic nerve, placing the body in a constant state of tension, as if an emergency alarm were continuously ringing.
In this state, heart rate accelerates, blood pressure rises, muscles stiffen, and digestive function declines. As the stress hormone cortisol is continuously secreted from the brain, our body becomes trapped in fight-or-flight mode. Feeling tightness in the chest is the combined result of excessive contraction of the myocardium and vascular tone due to this sympathetic hyperactivity, along with changes in breathing patterns caused by anxiety. As the lungs cannot expand sufficiently and the movement of the diaphragm is restricted, breathing becomes labored.
The inner wrist where Shenmen (HT7) is located is an area where several nerve endings and blood vessels are concentrated. Stimulating this area can help activate parasympathetic nerves such as the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve extends from the brain across the neck, chest, and abdominal organs, playing an important role in slowing heart rate, promoting digestion, and calming the stress response. When the vagus nerve is activated through Shenmen (HT7) stimulation, sympathetic hyperactivity is suppressed, and as the parasympathetic nerve gains dominance, the body and mind can transition into rest-and-digest mode. This can lower stress hormone levels, improve heart rate variability, and support cardiovascular health. In addition, it can indirectly influence the secretion of serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid, neurotransmitters that regulate anxiety and depressive feelings, contributing to overall emotional stability. Shenmen (HT7) acupressure goes beyond simple acupoint stimulation and serves as a scientific self-care method that restores autonomic nervous system balance, the primary regulatory system in our body.
