During any year, the holidays can add layers of stress to our everyday lives. Even though the activities of the holidays are often joyful, expectations and increased time out of our daily lives to prepare and participate around the holidays can be quite hectic, and stressful. This year we enter a holiday season unlike any other, with a global pandemic adding another layer of stress to our holiday season. Taking a little time out to enjoy the benefits of a relaxing massage, to experience healthy touch, is a great way to make the season less stressful and more enjoyable.
Opportunities are all around you during the holidays to have a relaxing massage experience. You may find that when you are out shopping there will be people offering brief chair massages. Fifteen minutes under the hands of a good therapist in an on-site chair massage can make for a lasting experience of relaxation and stress reduction as you make your way through that busy shopping mall.
Most massage establishments are open and receiving customers. What a perfect way to take a time-out during the season of running around, of shopping, of constant stimulation, and allow
yourself to come into a more relaxed state of mind and body. That state of relaxation will make all of your interactions with others more enjoyable, whether friends, family, coworkers, or someone behind the counter in a busy store.
Massage is also a perfect gift idea during the holidays. All massage establishments and private practitioners will offer gift certificates during the holiday season. If you can’t figure out what gift your friends and family would like, and you want to avoid making another awkward fashion choice for the people you care about, how about giving them the luxuriously relaxing gift of a massage therapy session.
We all know that we are prone to unhealthy choices around the holidays. We might be consuming too much sugar, running around, burning the candle at both ends and far more active than usual, and leaving our immune system more vulnerable. Massage is the perfect antidote. Give yourself and your loved ones a healthy holiday treat. Find a good therapist and experience the benefits of massage for your mind and body this holiday season.
Carl Johns, LMT
Director, ASIS Massage Education – Flagstaff Campus