8 Scientific Benefits of Hugs

Let's pause for a moment to consider the various situations in which we hug.

Perhaps you embrace a friend or family member as a form of greeting. Maybe after a tough day, you seek solace in a hug from your partner or child when you get home. You might also find yourself giving or requesting hugs when you're feeling affectionate or in need of support. For many of us, hugs are a vital source of care and comfort.

Most of us probably learned to hug at a very young age. Whether it was hugging our family members as toddlers or embracing our little friends at nursery or primary school, we understand that to hug, we wrap our arms around someone else.

Hugs are a form of embrace and endearment, often used to express affection or care for others. Hugs aren't limited to just two people either; when more than two people join in, we have a group hug. Additionally, people sometimes hug themselves, especially when feeling sad or lonely.

Hugs indeed have a way of making us feel better. Have you ever given or received a hug and felt an immediate boost? That sensation isn't just in your mind. In fact, hugs offer several health benefits that can positively affect you both emotionally and physically. Let's explore some of these important benefits.

Hugs can:

● Enhance your relationships: Research indicates that hugs serve as a form of nonverbal communication. What we might struggle to convey with words can often be expressed through touch. Hugs can be both friendly and platonic, while also fostering deeper intimacy if desired (Gooch & Watts, 2010).

● Reduce your stress: Hugs offer a means of social support, creating a sense of connection with others through touch. When we're stressed, our bodies can produce higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. A study discovered that physical touch, such as hugging, was linked to lower cortisol levels in both the saliva and blood of participants (Sumioka et al., 2013).

● Lower heart rate and blood pressure: Similar to reducing cortisol, hugs can help lower elevated heart rates and high blood pressure. Studies indicate that frequent hugging in relationships is linked to higher levels of oxytocin, commonly known as the "love hormone." Increased oxytocin is associated with decreased heart rate and blood pressure. Consequently, individuals who receive frequent hugs are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and related illnesses (Light, Grewen, & Amico, 2005).

● Boost oxytocin and happiness levels: Physical touch, such as hugging, increases oxytocin, the 'love hormone'. Elevated oxytocin not only supports heart health but is also linked to feelings of happiness. When your body produces more oxytocin, your mood improves, leading to an overall sense of well-being and better mood (Field, 2010).

● Act as a natural pain reliever: Hugs can help alleviate feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. Beyond the emotional benefits, hugs can also relieve physical pain. Research indicates that therapeutic touch as a form of physical treatment can reduce pain in patients with fibromyalgia (Denison, 2004) and cancer (Tabatabaee et al., 2016).

Here is some further information on hugs:

● On average, a hug lasts approximately three seconds, with its duration holding significance. Shorter hugs often indicate a swift greeting, while longer embraces typically convey deeper emotion, intimacy, and connection between individuals. Extended hugs also promote the release of oxytocin, enhancing the bonding experience (Keating, 1994).

● Hugs contribute to a rise in serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter crucial for mood regulation. By promoting the release of both oxytocin and serotonin, hugs can enhance happiness and reduce stress levels (Field, 2002).

● Hugging can serve as a form of mindfulness and meditation. Consider this: mindfulness meditation teaches us to be completely present in the moment, attentive to our thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Similarly, when we hug others, we often become fully engrossed in the experience of touch. Syncing our breathing with theirs during a hug also allows us to momentarily step away from any racing thoughts we may have and concentrate on the person we're embracing (Hanh, 2005).

How many hugs do we need in one day?

Ok, spoiler alert - there is no concrete number of hugs that we need per day. However, with all the benefits listed above, don't you just want to have or give a hug right now!? Why not move away from your desk right now and offer someone a hug (if it is appropriate to do so!) and also intentionally do so when you get home today?

I'm sending you a virtual hug right now!

References

●???? Denison, B. (2004). Touch the pain away: new research on therapeutic touch and persons with fibromyalgia syndrome. Holistic Nursing Practice, 18(3), 142-150.

●???? Field, T. (2002). Violence and touch deprivation in adolescents. Adolescence, 37(148), 735.

●???? Field, T. (2010). Touch for socioemotional and physical well-being: A review. Developmental review, 30(4), 367-383.

●???? Gooch, D., & Watts, L. (2010, September). Communicating social presence through thermal hugs. In Proc. Ubicomp 2010 SISSE Workshop.

●???? Hanh, T. N. (2005). Happiness: Essential mindfulness practices. Parallax Press.

●???? Keating, K. (1994). The hug therapy book. Hazelden Publishing.

●???? Light, K. C., Grewen, K. M., & Amico, J. A. (2005). More frequent partner hugs and higher oxytocin levels are linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate in premenopausal women. Biological psychology, 69(1), 5-21.

●???? Sumioka, H., Nakae, A., Kanai, R., & Ishiguro, H. (2013). Huggable communication medium decreases cortisol levels. Scientific reports, 3(1), 1-6.