Sleep better and boost your energy with these self-massage moves

Having trouble falling asleep? Are your energy levels down? Try these Dien Chan facial reflexology self-massage sequences demonstrated by Alex Scrimgeour, a London-based acupuncturist and massage therapist. He says it's best to do them in a relaxed environment with not too much light.

If you suffer from insomnia

Gently and briskly tap the point between your eyebrows about 100 times for up to about a minute. In acupuncture theory, this point is called the yin tang, or among the yoga community it's known as the third eye, Scrimgeour says. "It's very soothing for the mind. It could help people to switch off," he says.

If your energy levels need balancing and boosting

Begin by crossing your hands in front of your face. Squeeze and massage the entire length of your eyebrows for about 30 seconds. According to one of the main maps of Dien Chan, the eyebrows correspond to the neck and shoulders, Scrimgeour says. "Crossing the hands also has a strange effect of balancing the two sides of the brain," he adds. "It creates a mirroring effect that kind of confuses the brain."

Next, massage the edge of your ears all the way down to the lobes for about 30 seconds. The ears address the kidneys and adrenal glands. "If you look at how the body grows in the uterus, the ears, kidneys and adrenal glands actually are sourced from the same tissue," he says.

Lastly, with your pinkies, press firmly into the points just above the upper lip and just below the lower lip for about 10 seconds, then swap fingers around and repeat. These points are where the two central channels of the body connect, Scrimgeour says. The du channel, going up the spine, into the brain, up over the head and down to the mouth, governs yang energy. Ren, going from the mouth down to the genitals and passing all down the soft, yin front of the body, governs yin.