Have you heard of dysautonomia? In our body, two branches of the autonomic nervous system—the sympathetic nerve and the parasympathetic nerve—regulate all organ functions while maintaining balance like a seesaw. The sympathetic nerve signals an emergency to stimulate the body and raise energy, while the parasympathetic nerve signals that it is time to rest, relaxing the body and conserving energy. Only when these two systems operate appropriately can we sleep soundly, digest meals well, and cope flexibly with stress.
Yet what is life like for people today? With constant competition, heavy workloads, irregular habits, and unresolved stress, the body often stays in a state where only the sympathetic nerve is excessively overactive, as if an alarm bell were ringing continuously. When commands from the sympathetic nerve urging us to stay tense and ready persist, the body easily tires and reaches exhaustion. Palpitations with a racing heart and shortness of breath, muscle tension tightening the neck and shoulders, chronic dyspepsia, and insomnia that makes falling asleep difficult: all these symptoms are emergency signals of an autonomic nervous system that has lost its balance.
The brain and body are intertwined like threads. When the brain perceives stress, it immediately influences the autonomic nervous system, which in turn affects the cardiovascular system, digestive system, endocrine system, and the entire body. For instance, in stressful situations, the sympathetic nerve is activated, raising blood pressure, accelerating heart rate, and causing hypofunction in digestion. If this state persists for an extended period, it ultimately leads to an overall hypofunction of the body and weakened immunity, inevitably reducing quality of life.
Shenmen (HT7), which Donguibogam referred to as the 'Gate of the Spirit,' also reveals its significance under modern neurology. Shenmen (HT7) is located on the ulnar side of the wrist crease, close to the path traveled by the median nerve. Applying acupressure or acupuncture treatment to this area can induce vagus nerve activation, stimulating the parasympathetic nerve to help the body relax. In fact, research indicates that stimulating specific acupoints can improve heart rate variability, lower stress hormone levels, and alleviate anxiety. In other words, acupressure on Shenmen (HT7) is not a mere placebo effect. It works through neurological pathways to calm sympathetic hyperactivity and activate the parasympathetic nerve responsible for relaxation, providing scientifically meaningful support in restoring autonomic balance. It acts delicately to fine-tune our body's complex system, much like adjusting the volume knob on a malfunctioning audio system.
