Before

• Do not eat for at least an hour before a massage session.
• If you don’t want to remove all your clothing, wear comfortable clothing that will allow the massage therapist to access the areas of your body you want worked on.
• Please be on time.
• Give the massage therapist accurate health information.

During

• Communicate clearly. Report any discomfort from the massage or distractions from the environment, such as room temperature, music volume and lighting. Give feedback about amount of pressure or the speed of their hand movement.
• Don’t be afraid to discuss any apprehensions or concerns.
• Discuss whether you prefer silence or music.
• Let your massage therapist know whether you would prefer to talk or not while you are being massaged.
• Breathe to facilitate relaxation, especially when the massage therapist is addressing a sensitive or sore spot.
• Try to relax muscles when they tighten during the massage session.
• Calm your thoughts by focusing on the touch of the massage therapist.

After

• If you are dizzy or light-headed after the massage, do not get off the table too fast.
• Drink extra water after a massage.
• Allow time to absorb the results of the massage session and to slowly reintegrate into the rest of your day.

A gift certificate for massage therapy gives a friend or loved one the chance to escape the stress of daily life, while also enhancing their overall health. Several studies have shown that massage can help relieve stress, reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure, and boost the function of the body’s immune system.  According to a 2005 survey of 1,000 American adults sponsored by Brookstone, Inc, 52% said they would like to receive a massage product or service as a gift.

A recent survey by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) found that approximately one in five adults in the United States received a massage from a massage therapist within the previous 12 months and 90% believe it’s beneficial to your health. Whether your gift recipient has never received a massage or frequently enjoys massage, you can be sure you are not just giving a massage –  you are giving them the gift of health and well-being.

Contact Beth Bornstein to find out more about Massage Gift Certificates.

The article mentions how after Tiffany Field, a professor of pediatrics, gave birth prematurely, she would massage her infant daughter, and was so impressed with the results she went on to found the Touch Research Institute (TRI) at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

You can read the entire article here.