Tapping for Stress Relief: How to Use EFT Tapping for Stress

Let's talk all about stress... and how to use Tapping for stress relief!

You’ve got responsibilities all over the place. There is always too much to do, not enough time for everything, and so many things to worry about and think about. From your personal life to your career to the stress of family relationships to the issues going on in your community and globally, it's a lot, and it adds up fast.

If anxiety is the bigger pattern behind all this, our complete guide to tapping for anxiety walks through the whole process step by step.

Sound familiar?

I get it. Life can be overwhelming sometimes (or, maybe more accurately, most of the time!). There are a lot of little stressors we face in our daily lives. Not to mention the bigger stressful life events that pile on top of our daily experiences!

While being stressed out has become status quo (and even sometimes worn as a badge of honor in modern culture), it is also coming at a major cost. It is harming our mental and physical health.

And although stress isn’t necessarily something we can avoid or get rid of completely, it is something that we can learn to deal with better.

It doesn’t have to be this way!

We don’t have to just push through, ignoring the fact that we are completely tense and weighed down by the pressure. We don’t have to rely on short-term forms of relief that just make us feel worse in the long run (like drinking, watching massive amounts of TV, staying up late, eating sweets, etc.). And we don’t have to settle for feeling anything less than great.

We have the power to release our stress so that it no longer runs our lives or holds us back from feeling our best.

There is a way to manage stress that really works. One that is easy to do, works like a charm, and can provide immediate and lasting results… And it’s called Tapping. Learning about Tapping for stress relief just might change your life, like it did mine!

Stress vs. anxiety vs. overwhelm

These three words get used interchangeably, but they're not quite the same thing, and knowing which one you're in can help you pick the right round of tapping.

Stress is your body's response to a real demand: a deadline, a bill, a fight with your partner. It has a cause you can usually point to, and it tends to ease once the demand passes.

Anxiety is what happens when that same stress response fires without a clear, present cause, or keeps firing long after the trigger is gone. It's more about the "what if" than the "what's happening right now." If that's where you live most days, our complete guide to tapping for anxiety is the better starting point.

Overwhelm is what stress feels like when there's simply too much of it stacked up at once, too many demands, not enough time or capacity to meet them. It's less "I'm scared" and more "I can't possibly do all of this."

All three respond to the same basic tool. Tapping calms the amygdala's alarm, whether that alarm is going off because of one clear stressor, a vague sense of dread, or a to-do list that's spilling over the edges.

Understanding the stress response

Now, I want to start off by saying that not all stress is bad. Sometimes, stress can be helpful. When we are truly in a dangerous situation or facing a threat of some sort, the body’s stress response kicks into action. This helps us prepare to either fight, or flee, to stay safe.

The part of the brain controlling these survival instincts is called the amygdala. It is in charge of the stress response, something you’ve maybe heard referred to as “fight or flight.” The amygdala perceives potential threats and releases hormones and biochemicals into the body that get us ready for action.

You are probably familiar with what this feels like. Maybe you’ve been driving and almost witnessed a car crash happen right in front of you. Or maybe you’ve gotten startled by a loud noise while walking into the house at night. In a moment of stress, you might feel your heart pound in your chest, your breathing quicken and get shallow, everything in your body tighten up, sweat form on your palms, and so on. All of this prepares the body and mind to have the energy and resources it needs to protect itself from potential danger.

So, stress is normal and sometimes even helpful.

We're in fight or flight way too often

The problem is that in the modern world, the stress response is turned on way too often. Not only when we are actually in real danger, but also when we are in everyday situations. Everyday stressors can activate the amygdala, putting us into fight-or-flight mode.

The ancient survival instinct of the stress response kicks in when we are about to give a huge presentation at work, when we are stuck in a traffic jam, when we think about our finances, when we feel tension with our partner, when we are too busy… the list just keeps on going.

We live in a state of feeling like we are constantly under attack. And our body perceives even minor daily hassles and issues as real threats. Unfortunately, this comes at a real toll, and it is something we need to change.

Why stress relief techniques like Tapping are so important

Chronic stress is a major problem.

Long-term activation of the amygdala and the fight-or-flight protective mechanism takes a major toll on the body. We get overexposed to cortisol and other stress hormones, which the body just isn’t designed to handle. Stress has long-term effects on mental and physical health, contributing to everything from anxiety and depression to heart disease, digestive problems, chronic pain, weight gain, and more.[1]

Chronic stress is also a common cause of sleep problems. We are constantly primed and ready for action, which doesn’t bode well for rest, relaxation, and deep sleep.

Ultimately, stress limits our ability to feel and be our best in major ways. Beyond physical and mental health effects, it also gets in the way of thinking clearly, it clouds our decision-making process, and it holds us back from doing the things we want to do to create the life of our dreams.

When we are stressed, we aren’t likely to do the things in our lives that we know are going to help. We aren't likely to do things that propel us forward and help us live a life that we absolutely love.

If you feel stressed out all of the time and have signs and symptoms of stress, then it is time to make a change. It’s time to take back the reins and learn how to reduce stress with a technique that really works: Tapping!

Tapping for stress relief: one of the best ways to relieve stress

Tapping, also known as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), is a powerful stress relief technique. It is based on the combined principles of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology.

The Tapping method involves focusing on whatever may be causing you stress, while at the same time using your fingertips to tap on nine specific meridian points along the body. These points correspond to traditional Chinese medicine acupressure points. Tapping on the points sends calming signals to the brain, letting it know it is safe to relax.

The process of tapping on the EFT tapping points while speaking or thinking about your stressors helps your brain to understand that you are not in real physical danger, and that you are safe to relax. Ultimately, Tapping regulates activity in the brain and helps to turn off that fight-or-flight stress response from the amygdala.

This disrupts the pattern of chronic stress that we so often fall into, allowing the brain to rewire and find a more productive, appropriate response to the challenges that come our way.

As a stress relief activity, Tapping can work wonders. In just minutes, you can go from feeling totally overwhelmed to feeling calm, balanced, and at ease. I truly can’t tell you how many thousands of people I’ve seen try out Tapping, and have their lives transformed because of it.

It can work faster, and have longer lasting effects, than other (also wonderful and useful) tools like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and so on. Tapping really produces true, profound breakthroughs when it comes to managing stress and anxiety.

EFT Tapping is a proven stress relief technique

What is very exciting is that we no longer have to rely only on anecdotal reports to confirm the validity and effectiveness of Tapping. There is a bunch of clinical research on EFT Tapping for stress that provides measurable evidence of what so many of us already know: Tapping really does work!

Studies in a variety of populations, such as university students, healthcare workers, business owners, and lawyers, have all found that EFT Tapping techniques help people to significantly reduce their stress.[2-6]

And the research also shows that Tapping is actually able to turn down the biological stress response in the body, helping our brains and bodies to get out of fight-or-flight and stay more balanced. A groundbreaking study in 2012 led by Dr. Dawson Church found that EFT tapping was able to significantly decrease cortisol levels (the stress hormone), and that it had bigger effects on cortisol compared to traditional talk therapy or resting.[7]

In 2020, Dr. Peta Stapleton led a study that looked to replicate those same results from Dr. Church’s study. And incredibly, this time the researchers found an even greater reduction in cortisol. They found that EFT Tapping for stress could reduce cortisol levels by 43% after just one hour.[8]

Other studies have found Tapping to help reduce heart rate and blood pressure along with cortisol, too.[9]

We’ve done studies using our own app, the Tapping Solution App, as well. We’ve analyzed the data and found that on average, users report a 31% reduction in stress after a guided Tapping meditation session.[10] That means that you can tune into a short meditation, be guided through some tapping, and feel significantly less stressed afterwards.

How to do Tapping for stress relief for yourself

If you want to learn how to reduce stress, how to reduce cortisol, and how to start living your best life, then it’s time to give Tapping a try.

Tapping is a simple way to release stress, but it’s a very powerful one. It allows you to turn down the dial on the stress response. This helps you finally get out of that endless pattern of being stuck in fight-or-flight all the time.

It’s easy to learn, you can do it all on your own in the comfort of your home, and it can help provide nearly instant stress relief in just minutes.

And plus, Tapping is proven by the research to be extremely effective in mediating the stress response! It helps us to release our stress and create room for positive change in our lives.

It doesn’t get much better than that: a stress relief tool that is easy to use, extremely effective, and backed up by the science, too?

A 3-minute round for stress

You don't need 20 minutes or a quiet room to get relief. Rate your stress from 0 to 10 right now, then work through this short round.

1. Side of the Hand (1st time): "Even though I'm so stressed out right now, I accept myself anyway."
2. Side of the Hand (2nd time): "Even though my body is tense and my mind won't slow down, I accept how I feel."
3. Side of the Hand (3rd time): "Even though there's so much pulling at me right now, I accept myself anyway."
4. Eyebrow: "All this stress."
5. Side of the Eye: "My body braced and on alert."
6. Under the Eye: "So much pulling at me right now."
7. Under the Nose: "I don't have to solve it all this second."
8. Under the Mouth: "Just this breath, right now."
9. Collarbone: "Letting my shoulders drop a little."
10. Under the Arm: "It's safe to slow down for a moment."
11. Top of the Head: "Choosing to feel calmer, right here."

Take a breath and check your number again. If it's still high, run through it once more, naming the actual thing that's stressing you out instead of "stress" in general. The more specific you get, the faster it tends to move.

5 tapping exercises for stress

The Tapping Solution App has guided sessions built for different moments of stress. Here are five to start with:

What our data shows

Inside The Tapping Solution App, our "Release Stress" session has been completed 209,335 times, with users rating their stress 6.9 before and 4.0 after, on average (0-10 scale). Zoom out further and the pattern holds across categories built for exactly this kind of moment: our 13-session Turn Your Day Around category (over 1.9 million completions) moves users from an average 6.0 to 3.4, and our 16-session Calm Your Mind category (over 340,000 completions) moves them from 7.2 to 4.0.

A peer-reviewed study of 270,461 App users, published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth in 2020 by Church and Stapleton, found that a single tapping session brought stress down 45% and anxiety down 44%, on average.

If you want to feel the difference yourself, try the Release Stress session free.

What people say after tapping through stress

"This session on stress really helped calm my nervous system. Before the session I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my body. Now I feel grounded and centered. Thank you!" -Janet, Release Stress, 10 → 3

"I found this tapping meditation so good, I reduced my anxiety by 6 points to a two. I have been tapping for 31 days now and find it immensely helpful and relaxing. Thank you, Jenny." -Jenny, Release Stress, 8 → 2

Go deeper

• New to tapping? Start with Tapping 101.
• See every point in the sequence in our 9 tapping points chart.
• Build your own setup statements with our guide to tapping phrases.
• Ready-to-use routines: our library of tapping scripts.
• If it's overwhelm more than stress, take five minutes with our free tapping meditation from overwhelm to calm.
• If anxiety is the bigger pattern, our complete guide to tapping for anxiety goes deeper.
• If your body stays wound up even after the stressful moment passes, our guide to nervous system regulation covers the bigger pattern.
• If a lot of your stress is other people's stuff (a tense room, a stressed-out family member), releasing other people's energy is worth a look.

Tap along with me

Tap along with this session right now if stress, anxiety, or overwhelm is running the show today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does tapping actually work for stress?

Yes, for most people it brings noticeable relief in minutes. Inside The Tapping Solution App, our Release Stress session has been completed over 209,000 times, with users' self-rated stress dropping from an average of 6.9 to 4.0 (0-10 scale). A peer-reviewed study of 270,461 App users, published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth in 2020, found tapping lowered stress by 45% on average. Tapping isn't a cure for whatever is causing your stress, but it calms your body's alarm system so you can think and cope more clearly.

How do you tap for stress?

Rate your stress from 0 to 10, then tap through the standard sequence: start with three rounds on the side of the hand naming the stress while accepting yourself anyway, then move through the eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, under the mouth, collarbone, under the arm, and top of the head, naming what's stressing you at each point. Check your number again, and repeat if it's still high.

What do you say when tapping for stress?

Start broad ("even though I'm so stressed out right now, I accept myself anyway"), then get specific about the actual thing behind it: the deadline, the bill, the conversation you're dreading. Naming the real, specific stressor, rather than just "stress" in general, tends to bring the number down faster.

How fast does tapping work for stress?

Many people notice a shift within a single 3 to 10 minute round: a slower breath, looser shoulders, a lower 0-10 number. Our data backs that up. Across the 13 sessions in our Turn Your Day Around category (over 1.9 million completions), the average stress rating drops from 6.0 to 3.4 in one sitting. Bigger, longer-standing stress usually needs more than one round.

Does tapping lower cortisol, the stress hormone?

Yes. A 2012 randomized controlled trial led by Dr. Dawson Church, published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, found that a single hour of EFT tapping lowered cortisol levels by about 24%, more than talk therapy or rest alone in the same study. See our full breakdown of tapping and cortisol for more.

Is there a free tapping session for stress?

Yes. You can try our Release Stress session free in The Tapping Solution App, or use the 3-minute round on this page right now, no app required.

Try the Tapping Solution App!

If you want to give this amazing way to relieve stress a try, head over to our app, The Tapping Solution App. There you can learn more about Tapping and how to Tap, and be guided through simple and enjoyable Tapping meditations for anxiety and stress that will help you to feel better right away.

Here are just a few of the many Tapping meditations for stress and anxiety relief available in the app:

• I’m Stressed About the World
• Releasing Anxiety
• I’m Stressed About Work
• Nervous Tension & Stress Release
• Turn Your Day Around: Evening Stress Relief
• Releasing Morning Stress

You can also explore the app to find a wide range of topic-specific meditations to help you release stress from things like finances, politics, family, health, insomnia, coronavirus, and more.

For more on Tapping for stress relief, check out my book The Tapping Solution: A Revolutionary System for Stress-Free Living.

And if you want to just give it a try right now, head to this link for a 15-minute Releasing Stress and Anxiety Tap-Along!

Until next time... Happy Tapping!
Nick Ortner

References

1. “Chronic stress puts your health at risk.” Mayo Clinic. July 08, 2021.
2. Banerjee P, Puri A, Luqman, N. Emotional Freedom Technique: An alternative therapy in destressing. International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering and Management (IJAIEM), 2015;4(9):19-26.
3. Patterson SL. The effect of emotional freedom technique on stress and anxiety in nursing students: A pilot study. Nurse Educ Today. 2016;40:104-110. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2016.02.003
4. Dincer B, Inangil D. The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on nurses' stress, anxiety, and burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial. Explore (NY). 2021;17(2):109-114. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2020.11.012
5. Church, D. and David, I. (2019) Borrowing Benefits: Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) as an Immediate Stress Reduction Skill in the Workplace. Psychology. 2019;10:941-952. doi:10.4236/psych.2019.107061.
6. Christina D, Panagiotis K, Liza V, George CP. Stress management for the treatment of sleep disorders in lawyers: Pilot experimental study in Athens, Hellas. Journal of Sleep Disorders: Treatment and Care 2016;5(2). doi:10.4172/2325-9639.1000171
7. Church D, Yount G, Brooks AJ. The effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: a randomized controlled trial. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2012;200(10):891-896. doi:10.1097/NMD.0b013e31826b9fc1
8. Stapleton P, Crighton G, Sabot D, O'Neill HM. Reexamining the effect of emotional freedom techniques on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial. Psychol Trauma. 2020;12(8):869-877. doi:10.1037/tra0000563
9. Bach D, Groesbeck G, Stapleton P, Sims R, Blickheuser K, Church D. Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) Improves Multiple Physiological Markers of Health. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2019;24:2515690X18823691. doi:10.1177/2515690X18823691
10. “Science, Data, & Research: Tapping Research Studies.” The Tapping Solution. 2021. https://tappingsolution.s3.amazonaws.com/APP/Marketing/TS-Science-Data-Research.pdf