THE POWER OF A HUG
With restrictions being lifted and getting back to some kind of normal and learning to live with Covid I can’t wait to hug the world. I was never much of a hugger and then the pandemic came along and we realized it was always the simple things that made us the happiest like a nice warm Hug. Just one of those things we took for granted.
If you’re not a hugger you may want to give it a try (safely) and here is why.
1. Hugs reduce stress by showing your support
When a friend or family member is dealing with something painful or unpleasant in their lives, give them a hug.
Scientists say that giving another person support through touch can reduce the stress of the person being comforted. It can even reduce the stress of the person doing the comforting
2. Hugs may protect you against illness
The stress-reducing effects of hugging might also work to keep you healthier.
In a study of over 400 adults, researchers found that hugging may reduce the chance a person will get sick. The participants with a greater support system were less likely to get sick. And those with the greater support system who did get sick had less severe symptoms than those with little or no support system
3. Hugs may boost your heart health
Hugging can be good for your heart health. In one study Trusted Source, scientists split a group of about 200 adults into two groups:
One group had romantic partners hold hands for 10 minutes followed by a 20-second hug with each other.
The other group had romantic partners who sat in silence for 10 minutes and 20 seconds.
People in the first group showed greater reductions in blood pressure levels and heart rate than the second group
4. Hugs can make you happier
Oxytocin is a chemical in our bodies that scientists sometimes call the “cuddle hormone.” This is because its levels rise when we hug, touch, or sit close to someone else. Oxytocin is associated with happiness and less stress.
How many hugs do we need?
Family therapist Virginia Satir once said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” While that may sound like a lot of hugs, it seems that many hugs are better than not enough.
Now we know so get HUGGING
