Feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or unable to cope? Stress and burnout are among the most common reasons people come to us, and acupuncture is a natural, drug-free approach.
A meta-analysis of 9 randomised trials found acupuncture affected heart-rate variability and parasympathetic activity, the measures linked to the body’s own stress and relaxation response (Hamvas et al., 2023), and most patients tell us they leave noticeably calmer.
Not sure where to start? Take our free 2-minute health assessment for personalised recommendations.
When you’re ready, book your first appointment online. This includes a full consultation and treatment, looking at your symptoms, lifestyle and health history.
At The Get Well Clinics expert support is affordable at £42 a session.
★★★★★
“George made me feel safe and cared for throughout my course of acupuncture. I noticed positive changes in my emotional and physical wellbeing, and always left the clinic feeling energised.”
★★★★★
“I need help to manage stress and the open, gentle and personal approach is making a real difference in my life. Thank you”. Mil
★★★★★
“The community style is comfortable. I slept like a baby after my first treatment.”
Individual patient experiences. Results vary.
What Causes Stress and Burnout?
Burnout rarely arrives overnight. It builds when demands outlast recovery and the body stops switching out of alert mode.
What Usually Causes It
- Sustained workload with little control over how you work
- Caring responsibilities on top of a demanding job
- Poor sleep, removing the recovery your body relies on
- Long periods without rest, holiday or downtime
- Grief, illness or major life change
What You May Be Feeling / Experiencing
- Exhausted but wired, unable to switch off
- Short fuse, tearfulness, or feeling flat and detached
- Brain fog and forgetfulness
- Tight shoulders and jaw, headaches, disrupted digestion
Please speak to your GP if you have thoughts of harming yourself, cannot function day to day, or have unexplained symptoms such as chest pain or weight loss.
Acupuncture works alongside medical care, not instead of it.
Source: NHS, Stress guidance; Mental Health Foundation, Stress statistics.
How Acupuncture Can Help for Stress and Burnout
Chinese medicine has a straightforward way of describing what stress does: things stop moving. Tension builds, circulation of qi and blood slows, and symptoms follow from that. Treatment is about getting things moving again.
Getting the body to unclench is something acupuncture does particularly well. Patients tend to describe leaving unhurried, a bit floaty, noticeably less wound up. It is why a good number carry on coming once the thing that first brought them in has resolved.
As to why acupuncture works for stress and burnout, researchers point to several mechanisms:
- Calming the nervous system: if you’ve had acupuncture before, you may know how relaxing it can feel. That is the shift heart-rate variability measures (Hamvas et al., 2023).
- Acupuncture is aimed at supporting the parasympathetic “rest and restore” side of that system, and a meta-analysis of 9 randomised trials found acupuncture affected heart-rate variability and parasympathetic activity, the measures used to track that shift (Hamvas et al., 2023).
- Support circulation and energy: research suggests acupuncture may enhance microcirculation, associated with reduced fatigue (Acupuncture in Medicine, 2010; Kim SY, et al., 2016).
- Acting on brain chemistry: research points to the release of endorphins, the body’s own feel-good chemicals, and has examined the brain regions handling pain and stress alongside the neurotransmitters that affect mood, including serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine (Han, Neuroscience Letters, 2004). These are proposed mechanisms rather than settled conclusions.
- Support emotional wellbeing: a 2017 review examined acupuncture for anxiety and depression, both common in burnout, and a 2025 review looked at burnout in high-stress professions (Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2017; Surgical Chronicles, 2025).
Individual results vary. These findings are not a guarantee of outcome for every patient.
Lasting Changes
Lasting change often comes from small shifts alongside treatment, so we also offer support through:
- Personalised treatment: built around how burnout shows up for you, rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol.
- Stress-management tools: easy breathing exercises, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques you can use daily without feeling overwhelmed.
- Diet & lifestyle coaching: removing food triggers, improving sleep, and moving your body more, at a pace that works for you.
Common Questions Answered
Many people come to us coping on the outside while exhausted underneath. That is exactly what treatment supports.
Yes. Acupuncture is intended to be used alongside conventional treatment, and many patients have it while taking prescribed medication or having talking therapy. Never stop or change your medication without speaking to your GP first, and do tell us what you are taking so we can plan around it.
Lasting change often comes from small shifts alongside treatment, which we support through diet, lifestyle, and stress-management coaching.
Acupuncture works by building change slowly over time, small shifts that add up, rather than one big fix. Everyone is different, but most patients start to notice a difference after several regular sessions rather than a single visit.
Why Choose Our Low Cost Acupuncture Clinics in London?
Expert
Our highly qualified acupuncturists, without the private clinic price tag.
Whole-body approach
We use traditional acupuncture diagnostic principles to look at your symptoms in the context of your whole health, not just the area that hurts
Convenient locations
Our clinics in Camberwell and Paddington are close to bus, train, and Tube lines, so getting here is simple.
Flavio Cabral
3 months ago
The service I received was unhurried, kind, personal, as well very educative from both treatments I had on full body and head only (ear). I strongly recommend it.
Mdm Pleguebyrne
3 months ago
I first came to the Gate Well Clinic last year, and it was a fantastic experience. I'm now back again to help get myself back on the healthy path I was on before.
I feel that we live in a very different world compared to a couple of generations ago. Life moves at such fast pace, and much of our food has been depleted of its nutrients or replaced with ultra-processed alternatives, making it increasingly difficult to maintain good health.
Coming back to the clinic is helping me regain control of my health. The acupuncture treatment with George, together with the guidance and natural supplements he recommends, have given me the support I need to feel better, more balanced, and more in tune with my body.
I'm truly grateful for the care, knowledge, and support that George and the whole team provide. I would highly recommend the Gate Well Clinic to anyone looking to take a more natural approach to improving their overall health and well-being.
Tom Tom C
5 months ago
I have been seen by the fantastic Luke Warburton for a year for acupuncture & bodywork. He combines both skills in treatment at the get well clinics in Paddington. His knowledge really helps me maintain my health conditions like Fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis and anxiety. The get well clinics is my go to comfort zone for well being. Tom
Vincent Crooks
5 months ago
It's so good to have a place like the getwell clinic which for me is acceptable,affordable, clean and pleasant, with experience and professional practioners ,with the knowledge to read and diagnose ailments,
Vincent Crooks.
Emma Williamson
6 months ago
Marion is an excellent acupuncture therapist - I have really benefited from her treatment and highly recommend her.
Daria
9 months ago
Very good services at affordable prices. Acupuncture treatments have been helping me to balance my energy - either to bring it up or down depending on how I was feeling. Sheree is very helpful.
Fiona Blakeman
9 months ago
I couldn’t recommend this highly enough and I’m very grateful that this service is available in my local community. I’ve had a lot of experience receiving acupuncture, and despite the heavily discounted cost, the level of care, attention, and quality of treatment is exceptional.
The initial consultation is carried out privately, with treatments taking place alongside other patients. The setting is calm and peaceful, and I felt very safe and supported by both the practitioner and the environment overall.
Lucy Brook
11 months ago
This was a first time trying acupuncture, in a welcoming and tranquil space that's affordable to have professional treatment in a community clinic. I have several issues with my spine and I came initially with my sciatica pain at a 10 so severe for months struggling to walk and cope with daily functioning using mobility aids. I felt a major difference in pain relief after the first treatment and by the third session it has drastically reduced to a 2 and sometimes no pain on good days.
George is excellent and I feel so thankful, his knowledge and recommendations has been helpful and I've slowly been implementing. I come away from the sessions feeling relaxed and able to sleep better. I look forward to continuing my journey of pain relief, health and wellbeing, plus getting some normality slowly back in my daily life and functioning.
Elisa R
11 months ago
I went for several sessions this year to help with an extra heartbeat caused by stress. I also changed my lifestyle slightly, but acupuncture definitely made a difference. It takes time and trusting the process, and since I’m not used to slowing down, having this dedicated ‘me time’ was exactly what I needed.
John and Marion are knowledgeable, kind, and genuinely take the time to listen. I love how welcoming the community clinic is, and I always felt in very good hands.
Thank you to both of them, I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for support with stress or overall well-being.
Lucia Krupova
6 months ago
If you are preparing for IVF or struggling with back pain, you need to book an appointment with John.
I was a little bit worried about sharing room with other people but the place is incredibly peaceful which is exactly what you need when dealing with the stress of fertility treatments.
I came in for fertility support and a bad back, and I am amazed at how quickly it worked.
It only took a few sessions for my back pain to disappear entirely, and my periods are now perfectly on schedule. It has given me so much peace of mind and physical comfort heading into my IVF cycle.
Camilla Cooper
8 months ago
Get Well Community Acupuncture clinic is absolutely incredible. I’ve had really healing and helpful treatments with both Phil and Luke who are both exceptional & extremely caring practitioners. I can’t recommend this clinic enough for all your Community Acupuncture needs.
Maria del Mar Arranz Martin
11 months ago
Excellent service and professionals
John Watson
12 months ago
Very sympathetic and thoughtful treatment from Marion. I like the no-nonsense (and affordable) approach of having a communal treatment room. You still get plenty of attention and then lie and relax with the needles in whilst other people are attended to.
Vicki Zhang
1 year ago
Marion is super attentive and skilful - would highly recommend her to anyone considering acupuncture.
Sehr schön
2 years ago
I landed at Paddington location in Marion Rolling’s magical hands at the end of Jan 25.
I had high anxiety, heart palpitations and frequent migraines. I was always on high alert expecting a catastrophe at every corner and on the verge of tears at all time.
After a few Acupuncture sessions with Marion, my anxiety is manageable , I have more energy and I go for days without my previous symptoms. Also have not had a migraine since then.
I’m looking forward to seeing Marion a few more times this spring to help me with my hayfever.
Can’t recommend them enough. Thank you 🙏
Isabel Pitcaithly
2 years ago
Recently I attended The Get Well Clinic in Paddington where I had 3 accupuncture sessions a week apart with the very knowledgeable Marion Rollings. I did my homework before choosing Marion who has trained extensively including 7 years in China. I was impressed with how she managed to remember all I had told her in pre treatment forms and lying there relaxing with the needles in place ( completely painless) I could tell she remembered all about her other patients. I felt very relaxed and well cared for.
I had a problem with my ankle/foot which was very debilitating and this has greatly improved. I am so pleased as I was afraid to go out in case I suddenly couldn't walk any more. I no longer have this problem.
I was also concerned about headaches which seemed to take over my life. I can honestly say since the first treatment up to now several weeks down the line I have only had one headache which for me is amazing !!
To anyone considering a treatment with Marion go ahead. You will not be disappointed !!!
I plan on further treatments for my back when I have finished work in the garden. Isabel 76
Acupuncture Articles
You don’t need to understand how acupuncture works for it to work. But if you’re curious about the science, we’ve linked some articles below, with more on Traditional Chinese Medicine in our Articles section.
Acupuncture can be difficult to study. Researchers use sham acupuncture as a control, with needles placed away from recognised acupuncture points, but these “fake” points can still have an effect. Many studies are also small because research funding is limited. This means some conditions have not yet been studied at the scale needed for firm conclusions. That is not the same as acupuncture being tested and failing.
Where high-quality, large-scale research has been carried out, the evidence is much stronger.
Does acupunture help stress and burnout?
Harnessing acupuncture for burnout management: a systematic review of its efficacy and applications in high-stress professions. Surgical Chronicles. 2025;30(2):250-260.
Does Acupuncture Work for Anxiety? Acupuncture and the Body’s Stress Response
Jin-Woong Lim, Ki-Tae Song, Sang-Hoon Lee2. A systematic review on cortisol changes following acupuncture, which found inconsistent results across trials. Journal of Korean Oriental Medicine. 2010;31(6), 21-28.
Why see an acupuncturist if you are stressed?
Donato A. Why you should see an acupuncturist if you are stressed. Lee Health, September 2022. A plain-English introduction for patients