Hugging
Many people love hugging because it demonstrates one’s affection for another. However, it’s not just a great way to bond, it also offers many side benefits. Oxytocin, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, is present during the childbirth and breastfeeding in order to increase the mother’s bond with their baby. This hormone is also known for increasing social behavior and closeness between parents, children, and couples. Scientists found that oxytocin, also known as the “trust hormone”, was released into the blood stream when you hold a friend close.
Hugging can also soften a person’s personality. Researchers found that someone who hugs a person they love often becomes more empathetic over time. Note: Trust is an integral part of this formula. “The positive effect only occurs, however, if the people trust each other, if the associated feelings are present mutually and if the corresponding signals are sent out. If people do not know each other, or if the hug is not desired by both parties, its effects are lost,” said Neurophysiologist Jürgen Sandkühler.
Boosts Immune System and Reduces Blood Pressure
Scientists discovered that when oxytocin is release it improves memory, reduces stress, and lowers blood pressure. Researchers further found that the more social conflicts a person experience, the risk from illness increases. Hugs, responsible for about one-third of the protective effect of “social support,” can eliminate or mitigate a person’s susceptibility to becoming sick. Furthermore, hugging can reduce the symptoms in individuals already infected with a cold.
A study, published in Psychological Science and conducted by psychologist Sheldon Cohen, examined the effect of social support in reducing individual’s stress. “What that means is that if stress puts you at risk for disease, then having high levels of social support seems to protect people from that risk,” said Cohen. Another study found that women had lower blood pressure following a brief encounter of warm contact with their significant other.
Relieves Anxiety and Combats Stress
Holding hands for 10 minutes followed by a 20 second hug lowers stress according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lower stress in turn lowers a person’s blood pressure and heart rate. This makes a lot of sense since hugging has been shown to lower the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. “The gentle pressure of a hug can stimulate nerve endings under the skin that send calming messages to the brain and slow the release of cortisol,” explains Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the University of Miami Medical School’s Touch Research Institute. Field also noted that additional research found that getting a hug from a friend or even a professional massage can also help reduce tension.