15 Minutes on This Under-$50 Acupressure Pad Is All I Need to Feel Relief and Sleep Better at Night

As a former college soccer player, I've had my fair share of injuries over the years. I'm talking ankle sprains, broken noses—even seemingly minor scrapes have left permanent scars. But it was the shoulder dislocation during my senior season that continues to be a pain in the neck more than five years later. At the time, I was so ready to be done with soccer that I declined surgery and physical therapy so I could focus on enjoying college as a normal student. But oh, how I've come to regret this: That dislocation has resulted in complications like radiating neck and shoulder pain, pinched nerves, stiff neck, and many sleepless nights.

Over the years, I've turned to things like chiropractic adjustment and yoga in search of healing, but it wasn't until I discovered acupuncture two years ago that I finally found relief from my shoulder pain. While receiving treatment helped, I didn't have the funds to go as often as my pain called for, so I decided to try this acupressure pad from Amazon in between sessions. And in short, It has been my saving grace and the sole reason I can sleep peacefully again.

The DoSensePro pad comes with a mat that's 29 inches in length and a semicircular neck pillow, which together have hundreds of rubber-like plastic "spikes" that target acupressure points. As you lay on them, the points gently press into the muscles to draw blood flow to tense areas and release knots and tension, and I must admit—when you first try it, it can feel slightly intense. But once the blood starts flowing to your muscles, they begin to relax, and then that feeling of relief comes rushing in.

To buy: $41 with coupon (was $50); amazon.com.

I always feel calm and relaxed after spending anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes on the mat. I love to use it before bed because it helps me wind down after a busy day, especially whenever I have a knot. You can also use it intermittently throughout the day—sometimes, if I'm teaching yoga or coming back from hiking the Lanikai Pillbox on O'ahu, I like to stand on the pad for five to 10 minutes to bring a little relief to my taxed feet.

And since picking up this genius acupressure pad two years ago, I've noticed results that go beyond instantaneous shoulder and neck pain relief: Using it consistently has reduced the number of stiff neck occurrences and pinched nerves in my back, all while helping me find peaceful sleep again.

It seems like I'm not alone, as satisfied Amazon shoppers have flooded the acupressure pad's product page with five-star ratings and stellar reviews. One customer with migraines and arthritis said that the mat is "amazing" for pain relief and sleep. "I am sleeping through the night or only waking up once now (instead of waking up 5+ times due to pain)," they added. "I'm getting less muscle cramps in my neck and back since I started using it."

Another person wrote that, like for me, the mat helps them unwind. "I was surprised at how relaxed I felt when I laid on it. I fell asleep once for about 20 minutes," they said.

If you suffer from chronic pain or a tense back—or are simply looking for a way to wind down and get better sleep at night—give this at-home acupressure pad a try.

To buy: $42; amazon.com.

To buy: $45 with coupon (was $54); amazon.com.