Acupuncture for Stress and Anxiety in Banstead, Surrey
A gentle path back to balance
Modern life is full of challenges – whether it’s pressure at work, family responsibilities, or simply the fast pace of everyday life. It’s no surprise that stress and anxiety have become two of the most common concerns people face today.
At Flourish Acupuncture in Banstead, Surrey, we support people who are feeling weighed down by stress or anxiety – whether it shows up as poor sleep, tension in the body, digestive upset, or a busy, racing mind. Acupuncture offers a natural way to help calm the nervous system and restore balance, with growing evidence to show its benefits.
How stress and anxiety affect the body
When stress becomes ongoing, your body’s stress system (the HPA axis) works overtime. This means more cortisol and adrenaline in your system, which keeps your body in “fight-or-flight” mode instead of “rest-and-digest.”¹
Over time this can lead to:
- Difficulty sleeping or switching off
- Tension headaches, jaw pain, tight shoulders, or migraines
- Digestive issues like bloating or IBS
- Trritability, low mood, or poor focus
This is your body’s way of showing that stress is no longer short-term, but something that’s affecting your overall well-being.
How acupuncture can help
Acupuncture uses very fine needles at precise points to gently guide your body back into balance. Research suggests it can help with stress and anxiety in a few different ways:
- Calms the nervous system. Acupuncture can encourage your “rest and digest” mode (parasympathetic system) to take over from the constant “fight or flight.”²
- Balances stress hormones. Animal studies show acupuncture can reduce over-activity in the HPA axis and lower cortisol – the main stress hormone.³
- Supports mood chemistry. It can influence feel-good brain chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin, which play a role in mood and relaxation.²
Is acupuncture for stress and anxiety right for you?
Acupuncture can be a safe, natural complement alongside other forms of care – whether you’re already receiving support for stress and anxiety, or simply looking for an alternative approach. It’s suitable for many people, and treatments are always adapted to your individual needs.
What to Expect at Flourish Acupuncture
- A listening approach. We’ll explore how stress or anxiety shows up for you – your sleep, mood, energy, and any current treatments.
- Gentle, tailored care. Treatments are relaxing and calming; many clients drift into a light sleep during their session.
- Simple tools for home. Breathing practices, gentle Qi Gong moves, or sleep tips may be shared to extend the benefits between sessions.
- Progress over time. Some people feel calmer after one session, while others notice bigger shifts after several weeks.
Take your first step towards calm
If stress and anxiety are impacting your daily life, you don’t have to face them alone. At Flourish Acupuncture in Banstead, Surrey, we’re here to help you feel calmer, more resilient, and more in control.
Conveniently located in Banstead, Surrey, with easy access for clients from Epsom, Sutton, Reigate, and surrounding areas.
FREE consultation
Book your free 20 minute consultation today to see how acupuncture could support your mental wellbeing.
Book a treatment
Book your acupuncture treatment quickly and easily online, contact me, or call 01737 420221.
Patient experiences
What research says about acupuncture for stress & anxiety
A large review of clinical trials found that acupuncture led to a clear reduction in anxiety symptoms compared to control groups.⁴
Other recent studies show that people receiving acupuncture report feeling less anxious, sleeping better, and sometimes even showing lower cortisol levels after treatment.⁵⁻⁶
- Review of 20 studies (2021): People who had acupuncture for anxiety felt noticeably calmer and less worried compared to those who didn’t, or who had a “pretend” treatment.⁴
- Women’s health trial (2023): Women going through perimenopause who had acupuncture reported better sleep and less anxiety than those receiving placebo treatment. Hormone tests also showed changes linked to stress.⁶
- Recent trial (2022): Adults treated with acupuncture or electroacupuncture had lower anxiety scores and some even showed a drop in cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone.⁵
- Gentle movement practices (Qigong & Tai Chi): Regular practice has been shown to ease stress and reduce anxiety. Many people find combining these with acupuncture helps them feel calmer more quickly.⁹
For more plain-language summaries, see the Evidence Based Acupuncture website and the British Acupuncture Council’s factsheet.⁷⁻⁸
Research references
- Chrousos, G. P., & Gold, P. W. (1992). The concepts of stress and stress system disorders: overview of physical and behavioral homeostasis. JAMA.
- Li, Q. Q., et al. (2013). Acupuncture effect and central autonomic regulation. Review article (PMC).
Eshkevari, L., Permaul, E., & Mulroney, S. E. (2013). Acupuncture blocks cold stress-induced increases in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in the rat. J Endocrinol. - Yang, X., et al. (2021). Effectiveness of acupuncture on anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Annals of General Psychiatry.
- Amorim, D., et al. (2022). Electroacupuncture and acupuncture in the treatment of anxiety — a double blinded randomized parallel clinical trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract.
- Liu, X., et al. (2023). Manual acupuncture vs placebo acupuncture for generalized anxiety disorder in perimenopausal women. J Affect Disord.
- Evidence Based Acupuncture. Acupuncture as a Therapeutic Treatment for Anxiety.
- British Acupuncture Council (BAcC). Anxiety and Acupuncture — factsheet & evidence A–Z.
- Wang, C.-W., Chan, C. H. Y., Ho, R. T. H., et al. (2014). Managing stress and anxiety through qigong exercise in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Complement Altern Med.
- 10. Li, M., et al. (2022). Efficacy of acupuncture for generalized anxiety disorder. Systematic review.