Relationships July 12, 2019
Keep calm and hug on.
If you love hugs, this article is happy news. Research shows that hugging on a regular basis has several kick-ass health benefits. And the best part? These are summarized in five points below.
If you are one of many people who has experienced anxiety, hugs could be part of a solution. Hugging, which entails intimacy and physical touch, has shown to be related to higher levels of oxytocin; “the love hormone.” This hormone can work as an antidote to depressive feelings such as anxiety, isolation and loneliness.
According to Dr. Mercola, a New York Times best-selling author, hugging also stimulates dopamine in the brain. This pleasure hormone might reduce feelings of depression and help you find your happy, as it elevates feelings of happiness.
The hormone oxytocin is not only being referred to as “the love hormone,” some also call it “the bonding molecule.”. Oxytocin plays an imperative role in the process of bonding with others, as it underlies trust in oneself and in other people. In other words, hugging others more often could help boost relationships, whether they are friendly, professional or romantic.
When studying for a big exam or struggling to meet a deadline, you may experience psychological stress. Shortly after such an intensive period, you might catch a cold as a result of finally relaxing.
According to the magazine Psychology Today, stress affects our immune system as high stress levels leaves us with a higher risk of catching infections. In fact, in a 2015 study of 404 healthy adults, Psychological Science found that hugging is an effective way to alleviate stress, and therefore reduces the risk of getting an infection, like a cold.
Hugging not only reduces stress and positively affects the immune system. Research also suggests hugging can reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of developing heart disease.
The notion that hugging could lower one’s blood pressure is supported by a 2005 study on 59 women in long-term relationships, published Biological Psychology. The authors concluded that a higher frequency of hugs was related to lower baseline blood pressure.
Our mood can sometimes appear to be a roller coaster and it can vary for unknown reasons. At other times, we know exactly why we feel a certain way. For instance, we often feel bad after arguing with our parents, a friend or a partner.
In this situation, research from 2018 suggests that hugging could help us get out of the bad mood. More specifically, the results suggest participants generally felt better than usual on days on which they had received at least one hug. Some participants noted they had been arguing with someone that day and their bad mood decreased if they had a hug after the initial emotion.
Whether you are hugging a friend, family, co-worker, girlfriend, or boyfriend, you might want to reap the benefits of hugging by doing it more often. Even non-humans such as dogs, cats, and seals seem to get it as there are numerous videos of animals hugging out on the internet!
Happy hugging!
