I’m always on the lookout for weird and wonderful things to review for this site. Products and services that are really unique and interesting, or require a bit of advanced testing. So when I saw the Shakti Mat come up on my facebook feed I was instantly intrigued.
The Shakti Mat is essentially a cotton covered foam mat covered in thousands of plastic spikes that you lie on. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?
“At first I was skeptical of having thousands of pricks in my skin, but it really does work!” – Far Kew
I’ve spoken before about my struggles with anxiety and insomnia, and I know the two are intertwined. I can feel myself getting agitated sometimes as I try and fall asleep and then the evil mind tricks kick in and tell me that I am going to have a bad night. I have tried absolutely everything you can think of to try and win over insomnia, but it’s really been the combination of a few things rather than one magic answer. The Shakti mat has absolutely helped.
The Shakti mat is designed to cause the body slight pain which sends a signal to the brain to release endorphins. Then those endorphins stop you feeling the pain. Now, when I say “pain” I do not mean it really hurts. My very first time laying on the mat was not exactly comfortable, but more of a building sensation of heat rather than pain, which almost completely disappeared a few minutes later and became rather enjoyable.
The many benefits of using the mat include
– Deep, restful sleep
– Relaxation of tense muscles
– Recovery from headaches
– Recovery from muscular injury
– Improved Circulation
– Overall wellness of the mind and body
“I think the initial feeling was to yell “you motherfucker!” but then the burning sensation turned into actual enjoyment” – Far Kew
For me, the obvious benefit was the almost instant mindset shift. Put simply, it’s hard to ruminate when you’re lying on 6000 plastic spikes. This, in turn, has improved my ability to relax and let go of the stress of the day and get my body ready for rest. 10 mins is all I need to really notice a relaxing feeling and I am slowly working my way up to longer stints (I’m just not good at lying still).
Spending most of my day at a desk for the best part of 20 years has not done fabulous things for my lower back. So the mat has been great for releasing tension in that area as well, and I also LOVE the feeling of it on my neck. You can either purchase a separate pillow with the spikes or roll up a towel underneath the mat for this. Alternatively, you can roll the whole mat up and just place it underneath your neck.
You can also stand on the Shakti Mat, this is the one step I am getting used to more slowly than lying on it. OUCH! You can wear a thin pair of socks and slowly work your way up, and if the mat seems a bit much to lie on, you can also wear a thin shirt.
Another accessory I trialled for the purpose of the review is the Acu-ring. See you later fidget spinners, this tiny metal ring is fabulous for the fidgety and even more brilliant for releasing tension and slowing down the mind. It’s addictive, it feels good and it’s tiny so you can take it anywhere.
If you want a medicine free alternative to relieving muscle pains, headaches, anxiety and sleep disruption, you should give the Shakti mat a try. It’s cheaper than a one hour massage and you can take it anywhere you go as it simply rolls up into the size of a rugby ball.
I love these products so much I am stocking them in my shop with easy flat rate shipping. Plus a FREE gift with purchase. Check out https://farkewemporium.com/Enjoy! FK XXXX
