If stress had an app, it would be the one that auto-opens at 3% battery… right when you’re late, hungry, and your phone decides Face ID has “never met you before.”
The good news: you’ve got a built-in “reset button” on your face that costs $0, has no subscription, and doesn’t require shipping from a warehouse in New Jersey.
It’s called the Yin Tang point in Chinese medicine (also labeled EX-HN3, sometimes “Extra-1”). In yoga circles, it’s often linked with the “third eye.” And while the spiritual interpretations vary, the practical question is simple:
Can pressing this spot between your eyebrows actually calm your nervous system—and is there research behind it?
Let’s break it down in a grounded, science-friendly way.
What is the Yin Tang point?
From a modern lens, it’s best to think of it as a structured sensory input—a gentle pressure signal that may influence how your body’s stress systems behave.
Not magic. Not a miracle. But potentially a useful lever.
The 30-second technique (how to do it correctly)
This is the simplest version—safe, subtle, and easy to repeat.
- Sit up straight (or stand tall). Let your shoulders drop.
- Close your eyes (optional, but helps reduce incoming stimuli).
- Use your middle finger to press the point between your eyebrows.
- Pressure level: firm enough to feel it, not so hard it hurts.
- Breathe slowly and count to 30 (or take ~6 slow breaths).
- Release. Notice what changed—your jaw, your chest, your thoughts, your heartbeat.
Pro tip: If you feel your face tensing, you’re pushing too hard. The goal is signal, not struggle.
What you might feel (and why that matters)
People commonly report:
- A subtle “drop” in mental noise
- Less tightness in the forehead/jaw
- Slower breathing without forcing it
- A feeling of “coming back into the body”
A helpful metaphor: stress is like a browser with 47 tabs open—and Yin Tang is the moment you finally find the tab playing music and hit “mute.”
The science angle: what researchers have studied
1) Anxiety scores: promising early evidence
A review looking specifically at Yin Tang (EX-HN3) found that studies—especially in preoperative settings—often reported reduced self-reported anxiety when this point was stimulated via acupuncture or acupressure. The authors also emphasize that more rigorous trials are still needed.
One randomized controlled trial in neurosurgery patients found acupuncture at EX-HN3 reduced anxiety scores (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) compared with controls.
Translation: There’s credible, peer-reviewed evidence that stimulating this point can reduce anxiety in specific contexts—but it’s not yet definitive across every population and scenario.
2) “Stress physiology” signals: sedation/brain-state measures
Some research has explored whether Yin Tang stimulation shifts sedation-related metrics such as the bispectral index (BIS)—a measure derived from EEG activity often used in anesthesia settings.
A paper discussing acupressure on the Yintang (Extra-1) point reports decreases in BIS values and changes interpreted as a calming/sedating effect in healthy volunteers.
Translation: Your nervous system may be measurably shifting toward “rest mode,” at least in controlled settings.
3) Heart Rate Variability (HRV): the “vagal tone” conversation (with nuance)
HRV is often used as a window into autonomic balance—how your body toggles between sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (rest/digest) states.
The broader literature suggests acupuncture can influence HRV, but results vary by point, population, and study design—some findings are positive, some mixed.
There are also related bodies of research (like auricular stimulation/acupressure) showing HRV and heart-rate effects that are consistent with increased parasympathetic activity in some studies—again, not universal, but suggestive.
Translation: HRV changes are plausible, and sometimes observed—but don’t treat “it boosts HRV instantly” as guaranteed. Your body isn’t a light switch; it’s a dimmer.
So… does it “work instantly”?
Sometimes it feels instant because you’re doing multiple nervous-system-supportive things at once:
- You stop scrolling and sit still
- You reduce visual input (eyes closed)
- You slow your breathing
- You apply steady, calming pressure
- You give your brain a single point of focus
That combination alone can downshift arousal—even before you argue about meridians.
A clean, honest claim is:
Yin Tang acupressure is a low-risk, zero-cost technique that may reduce subjective anxiety and can shift relaxation-related measures in some controlled studies, especially when paired with slow breathing.
When to use it (real life)
Try it:
- Right when stress hits (before you react)
- Before an important meeting/call
- After an argument (when your body is still “buzzing”)
- When you feel shaky, wired, or emotionally flooded
- Before bed if your mind won’t stop narrating your entire life
This is especially powerful if you pair it with a repeatable breathing pattern, like:
Inhale 4 seconds → Exhale 6 seconds (for 30–60 seconds)
Longer exhales are like telling your nervous system: “We’re safe enough to soften.”
Safety notes (quick but important)
Avoid pressing on irritated skin, recent injuries, or if it triggers headache pain. If you have significant anxiety, panic, trauma responses, or a medical condition, think of this as a support tool, not a replacement for professional care.
The bigger takeaway: your body came with tools
You don’t need to buy your way into calm.
Sometimes stress relief looks like a fancy supplement stack.
And sometimes it looks like… a finger, a breath, and 30 seconds of remembering you’re the one driving this vehicle.
“Never forget: your body is stocked with free medicine—breath, attention, touch, stillness. The tools to heal were never outside you; they were waiting for you to use them.”