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Three Points, Three Moods — What the Quiz Is Really Asking

Why the answer to "what should I press right now" changes depending on the day you're having, and what LR3, ST36 and HT7 are each traditionally used for.

By Nathan Keegan Lic.Ac, MBAcC2 min read29 September 2026

If you've tried the quiz on the site (and if you haven't, it takes thirty seconds), you'll have landed on one of three points: LR3, ST36, or HT7. Three questions, three completely different answers depending on how your week's gone. That's not the quiz being clever. That's just how Chinese medicine has always worked. The point isn't chosen for the symptom, it's chosen for the state you're actually in.

Wound up and tight-jawed after a day of biting your tongue in meetings? Different point to someone who's just flat and running on fumes. Different again to someone whose mind won't switch off at eleven at night. Same body, same points available, but which one earns its keep depends entirely on what's underneath.

The three, briefly

LR3 (Liver 3) is the one for when you're coiled tight. Frustration that hasn't gone anywhere, a jaw you didn't realise you were clenching, the feeling of being "fine" through gritted teeth. It sits on the top of the foot, and pressing it is a bit like finally being able to exhale.

ST36 (Stomach 36) is for the other kind of tired, not wired, just depleted. The sort of tired a good night's sleep doesn't quite fix. This one's traditionally used to build steady, dependable energy rather than give you a jolt, so it rewards patience more than urgency.

HT7 (Heart 7), the Spirit Gate, which might be my favourite name for any point on the body, is for the racing mind. Lying in bed running through tomorrow's to-do list on a loop. It's a small, gentle point, right at the wrist crease, and it's the one I probably talk about most in clinic, because most of us are carrying a bit of HT7 most weeks.

Why this matters more than the point itself

None of these points is "better." The idea that there's one magic spot for everyone is the bit of acupuncture that tends to get flattened online. What actually matters is noticing which of the three you are on a given day, wound up, worn out, or wired, and treating that, rather than treating a label.

That's really the whole quiz in one sentence. It's less a party trick and more a nudge to actually check in with yourself before you reach for anything.

Try it properly

If you've already done the quiz, try it again on a different kind of day and see if you land somewhere new. That shift is the useful bit. It's your body telling you something changed, which is worth paying attention to even without a needle anywhere near you.

Be You. Be Loved. Be Well.

This article is general information about acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, not medical advice. If you're worried about your health, speak to your GP or call NHS 111.

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