If being happy seems like an elusive goal after in the COVID era, mark your calendar for March 20. Not only is it the United Nations’ “International Day of Happiness,” but the Global Wellness Institute’s special massage initiative has named the same Sunday in March, “Global Massage Makes Me Happy & Healthy Day.”
The public is also invited to join an hour-long online event on March 20 where an array of experts will share 2022 wellness and massage trends and highlight the scientific reasons why the ancient practice of massage is beneficial for the mind and body. Join the event via Zoom with: Meeting ID: 882 1433 1601 and Password: 076484
According to the non-profit Global Wellness Institute (GWI), research shows that massage supports physical and emotional well-being, so in other words, massage creates HAPPINESS. It’s a bold and needed statement in a time when people have been purposely physically distancing; when the #metoo movement has made many people warier of touch and when the majority of the population gives more attention to their screens than to connect with people around them. A 2021 study by the Touch Research Institute on the effects of the COVID shutdown revealed that although only 21% of those surveyed lived alone, 68% said they felt touch-deprived.
March 20 is a chance to connect in a healthy way. Ask your local spa or massage center about special offers honoring the day that celebrates this ancient, cross-cultural practice and caring therapy. “After 40 years of research,” explains Dr. Tiffany Field, Founder & Director of the University of Miami School of Medicine’s Touch Research Institute and medical spokesperson for the GWI Massage Makes Me Happy Initiative, “we have yet to find a chronic or systematic human malady that massage does not aid.”
A much sought-after expert for media interviews during the isolating months of the pandemic, Dr. Field first entered the public conversation when she visited orphanages in Romania and found that the children’s stunted physical and emotional growth was directly related to a lack of touch. Since then, her Touch Therapy Institute has completed over 100 studies on touch and massage, documenting benefits including:
● Enhancing growth and development of preterm infants
● Reducing depression, attentional disorders, and pain syndromes
● Increasing immune function in chronic illnesses
“We created a Toolkit on our website with 50 ways to celebrate on March 20,” explains MMMH Initiative Chair, Lynda Solien-Wolfe. “We’re recommending things as simple as: getting a massage or purchasing a massage gift card for someone else or even having a foot massage party with friends & family. It’s all about connecting and finding ways to make everyone feel happy and healthy!”
The GWI Initiative — which was formed in 2017 and celebrated its first MMMHH Day in 2018 — is also inviting businesses to arrange for chair massages for their staff in honor of GMMMH&H Day. Massage therapy schools are being encouraged to host open houses on March 20 or conduct an online class to teach members of the local community tricks for at-home massage.
PRESENTERS DURING THE ONE-HOUR ONLINE MMMH EVENT:
● Susie Ellis, Founder, Global Wellness Institute & Global Wellness Summit
● Dr. Tiffany Field, Ph.D., Director/Founder of the Touch Research Institute
● Jeppe Tengbjerg, Founder and CEO of The International Massage Association
● Karen Short, CEO Universal Companies
● Luke Massery, CEO Scrip Companies
● Jim Chenevey, CEO Earthlite
● CG Funk, Sr. VP Culture & Industry Relations Massage Heights
● Lynda Solien-Wolfe, Chair, MMMH Initiative and President, Solwolfe Resource Group, Inc.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL WELLNESS INSTITUTE (GWI)
A nonprofit 501(c)(3), GWI is considered the leading global research and educational resource for the global wellness industry and is known for introducing major industry initiatives that bring together leaders to chart the future. GWI positively impacts global health and wellness by educating public institutions, businesses, and individuals on how they can work to prevent disease, reduce stress, and enhance the overall quality of life. Its mission is to empower wellness worldwide.