tiene + Holiday Hints *, *4 Sigipepgeoeafa Massage—The Gift of Holiday Stress Relief (NAPSA)—Ifjingle bells have jangled your nerves, massage may provide a healthy way to relieve tension and help you cope with stress moreeffectively. As the popularity of massage therapy continues to rise, an in- creasing number of Americans make massage a part of their daily lives. According to a recent survey by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Body- work (NCBTMB), 52 percent of Americans have received a massage and three in 10 have done so in the past year. Of those who had a massage from a therapist, 48 percent did so for stress relief, 32 percent did so for general health and well-being and 18 percent sought treatment for a specific problem. Massage therapy and bodywork can help relax stressed holiday goers and help people to reconnect with their bodies so that they take better care of themselves. By alleviating stress, regular massage and bodywork mayalso be effective in preventing illness and other physical ailments. In addition to reducing stress and tension levels, other benefits of massage therapy and bodywork mayinclude: increasing mobility and speed the healing process for those Give or get the gift of massage to help reduceholiday stress. recovering from surgery or injury; providing relief to those suffering from chronic back pain; relieving pain and stiffness in athletes; reducing blood pressure; and increasingcirculation. As people turn to massage to relieve holiday stress, they should seek out a nationally certified practitioner for the gift of safe holiday massage. Massage and body- work practitioners certified by the NCBTMBhold the highest professional credential in the field, a cre- dential synonymous with quality, ethics and professional service aligned with a national standard. To locate a nationally certified massage therapist, visit www. ncbtmb.com andclick on the Find a Practitioner in Your Area link.
