I was hooked on acupuncture from the first time I tried it. Since then I’ve had close to 100 appointments, and each one proves itself worth the price. Still, when I found out there was a way to get similar results from home, my interest was piqued.

Turns out, WTHN’s Acupressure Mat Set went viral on TikTok for a reason. After purchasing the mat about a year ago, it quickly became one of my most prized possessions.

This spiky mat hasn’t fully replaced my love for acupuncture, but it sure has saved me a lot of money on frequent treatments. It’s one of my favorite ways to relax and unwind, and it instantly relieves my sore back and neck after long days of sitting.

My favorite thing about the WTHN acupressure mat is that it relaxes both my body and my mind. I recently ran my fourth World Major Marathon, and I relied heavily on the mat in the weeks before and after the race, when my nerves were at an all-time high and my muscles were feeling particularly sore.

Erin Weber, P.T., DBT, a physical therapist at Flow Physiotherapy in Brooklyn, recently told mindbodygreen that the pressure of and acupressure mat can release feel-good hormones like serotonin, activating the body’s parasympathetic (rest and digest) response. “There’s enough pressure on the muscle fibers to release tension but also to really calm down the nervous system,” she explained.

I definitely feel a difference when I lay on my acupressure mat, and it seriously eases my sore muscles. When I don’t get my session in during the day, I love using the mat as a way to wind my body down before bed.