Article Credit to Tianlong Du MD (China), L.Ac., AP, article retrieved from: https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Acupressure+Points+to+Enhance+Your+Concentration+and+Memory

During January's meeting I shared some of these "brain points" with the ladies at the luncheon. While I have studied these points and use them regularly myself, I found that this author's description of the points' location and description is well stated. Therefore, I'm doing something I have never done and using his material while giving credit. 

"Whether you are a student, a professional, or a homemaker, issues with concentration and memory can create a lot of problems in your life. From as simple as not remembering where you have put your car keys or if you have picked up the groceries, to more serious ones like missing a doctor’s appointment or forgetting to pass on that important piece of information to your superior at the office, your life could be a mess and your confidence may take a serious beating.

When you are often distracted by various thoughts or find focusing on your work a big problem, you lose the zeal to carry on with your responsibilities and daily affairs since the inherent enjoyment of doing them would be gone. This, in turn, can cause a dent in your dedication and motivation, thus making your whole life a muddled affair. But there’s no reason to lose hope as acupressure can come to your rescue. By working on your acupressure points, you can improve your concentration and memory, thus bringing a significant change in every aspect of your life.

1. Sun Point (Tai Yang)
About 1.5 inches away from your eyebrows, this point can be found in the depression of your temples. Applying slight pressure on these two points for 2-3 minutes will not only improve your concentration and memory but also offer relief from mental stress, dizziness, and headaches. However, remember to be gentle when applying pressure on your Sun Point and be consistent by repeating the process 3 times every day to get the best results.

2. Third Eye Point(Yintang)
This point is located between your eyebrows, in the indentation where your nose’s bridge and forehead meet. Apart from improving your focus and memory, massaging this point for 3-4 minutes every day would bring a calm and uplifting effect, which would help when you feel stressed or overwhelmed. To get the best results, you should massage your third eye point 2 to 3 times each day.

3. One Hundred Meeting Point (Bai Hui)
You will find this point on the top of your head in between the cranial bones. By placing a finger at the top of each ear and following an imaginary line upwards to reach the top of your head, you will reach a point where the two fingers meet. This is the point where applying gentle pressure would improve your concentration and bring notable mental awareness and clarity. Whether you are suffering from a creative block or headaches, massaging this point for 1 or 2 minutes will offer relief by increasing the body’s vital force and raising the emotional energy.

4. Gates of Consciousness (GB-20)
If you run your fingers just below the base of your skull, you will find shallow hollows on both sides, approximately 2-3 inches apart. Stimulating the gates of consciousness will offer relief from headaches and help improve poor memory. In case you have concentration problems due to arthritic pain, stimulating this point will help reduce the pain, irrespective of the location of the pain.

5. Middle of a Person (GV-26)
This point is located between your nose and the upper lip. It’s about two-thirds of the way up from your upper lip to the point between your nostrils. Pressing this point firmly with your finger for a few minutes will help improve concentration and memory, in addition to offering relief from dizziness, fainting, and cramps. If you often find yourself daydreaming during work, or have thousands of distracting thoughts that make it difficult to concentrate, stimulating this point will ground you and bring you back into the moment, thus letting you focus on the task at hand. You can increase the effectiveness of this point by accessing it every day for several weeks.

6. Sea of Tranquility (CV-17)
This point is located at the breastbone’s center, three thumb widths above the bone’s base where you will feel a little indentation. Stimulating it improves concentration and offers relief from anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, depression and other emotional imbalances that hinder your ability to focus and think clearly. Thus, knowing this point would help you recall things and enjoy improved focus as well as clarity of thought.  

7. Heavenly Pillar (BL-10)
You will find this point 1.5 inches below your skull’s base, on both sides of the spine, each 1.5 inches away from the spine. Being an excellent stress-relieving point, massaging it in a circular motion for 7-8 minutes every day would help beat stress, overexertion, burnout and unclear thoughts. If these problems are inhibiting your focus and memory, stimulating this point would help relax your neck, thus facilitating better circulation into your brain. This, in turn, would improve your ability to concentrate, memorize and remember.

8. Three Mile Point (ST-36)
This point is located 1 cm away from your shinbone and 2 inches under your kneecap. To ensure you have the right point, bend and straighten your foot to notice a muscle-flexing under your finger. Use your middle and index fingers to press this point for 5 minutes to boost your energy levels, strengthen your body and mind, reduce pain and gain improved mental clarity.

9. Effective Brain Point (LV-1)
This point is located right beneath your big toe. The point on your right toe will let you access your brain’s left side and vice versa. You can massage this point every day by moving your thumb on the big toe for 1-2 minutes in a way that tries to cover it (the big toe) completely. Remember to keep your massage duration same for both the toes. Doing this regularly will help your brain to relax and give your ability to concentrate a big boost.

10. Bigger Rushing (LV-3)
You will find this point on the top of your foot, in the indentation between the second toe and the big toe. Pressing this point every day for 2-3 minutes will offer relief from fatigue, memory problems, headaches and poor concentration while boosting energy, motivation, focus, and clarity of thought. If you are battling flagging concentration and memory, stimulating this point would give you a fast pick-me-up with improved concentration and focus.   

Summary
An improved ability of memory, concentration and recalling is useful for everyone. While students will find it useful to excel in their studies, adults handing professional or domestic responsibilities will enjoy better creativity and productivity in their everyday tasks. Yet, we often find several physical, mental and emotional problems causing an imbalance in our body and mind, which in turn causes everything from lack of focus and poor concentration to anxiety, insecurity, insomnia, confused thought and much more.

By stimulating the acupressure points we have mentioned above, you can now enhance your concentration and memory, which in turn would help you remember your tasks, have better focus and clarity of thought. However, you need to be consistent in your effort to stimulate these acupressure points if you want to reap the best benefits. Start making the most of these acupressure points today to organize your thoughts well with optimum focus and an uncluttered mind. You will soon find how fun, easier and fulfilling your life becomes!

To learn more about acupuncture for concentration and memory contact an acupuncturist near you!

About the Author: Tianlong Du is an acupuncture and neurology specialist at Beijing Acupuncture and Herbal Life based in Georgia with over 49 years of experience. Dr. Du has been practicing acupuncture and Chinese medicine in greater Atlanta for the past several years. He was a renowned neurologist in Beijing, China before he came to U.S."