Pardon the Nineteen Eighties cartoon reference, but The Care Bears were onto something:
Hugs are powerful.
More powerful than we would like to confess.
I’ll sometimes find myself mindlessly ruminating on something or other, assuming that THOUGHTS will solve regardless of the problem is. But in point of fact, it’s my nervous system that needs settling.
Why doesn’t it feel more natural to just accept that physical touch may help resolve mental ruminations? Speaking for myself, I believe there’s a very good deal of ego in play.
Hugs, as an answer to emotional distress, require vulnerability and humility. Even hugging myself requires accepting that, nevertheless smart I believe I’m, my brain is just not getting me through the difficult emotions I’m experiencing.
Before we go any further, let me say this:
Hugging more doesn’t require you to live along with your family. You don’t must have a romantic relationship, either. Hugging your cat, your dog, your guinea pig, or yourself (seriously!) provides among the same calming advantages.
Okay—so let’s get into the magic of hugs.
5 the explanation why hugs feel so good
Hugging causes the discharge of oxytocin, also often called the “cuddle hormone.” Oxytocin has a relaxing effect on the body and might decrease stress levels.
That is why a hug can feel like a breath of fresh air in a tense situation. (). It’s also why hugging before or during a stressful event, like waiting for the outcomes of a medical test, generally is a powerful stress-reducer.
While you get a hug, and the dose of oxytocin that comes with it, here’s what’s happening:
- Social bonding: Hugs bring you closer to other people, promoting feelings of trust, empathy, and connection and creating stronger bonds.
- Stress reduction: Oxytocin reduces your stress levels by lowering cortisol levels.
- Pleasure: Oxytocin prompts the brain’s reward system. Identical to chocolate or other pleasure-spiking foods and activities, hugs result in a (healthy) rush of positive endorphins.
- Pain relief: Oxytocin reduces the perception of pain.
- Nonverbal communication: Have you ever ever hugged someone and just felt ? Hugs and physical touch can increase understanding and feelings of empathy in ways in which words often can’t match.
Sound like pseudo-scientific mumbo jumbo?
It’s not. Actually, the ability of hugs has serious research behind it.
Why hugs are good for you (in keeping with research)
The hug effect is real. Research from 2015 found that hugging plays a task in pain relief, and a 2011 study found that hugging yourself can result in pain relief. A 20-second hug releases enough oxytocin to measurably improve your wellbeing.
Hugging also strengthens your immune system. A 2014 study at Carnegie Mellon University found that folks who hug more get sick less. This might be because hugging boosts the immune system by promoting the production of white blood cells, which help fight off disease.
Finally, hugging just plain makes you happier—measurably—by increasing the degrees of serotonin in your body. While low levels of serotonin can result in sleep disorders and obesity, higher serotonin levels enable you feel more confident, calm, and glad.
Your mindful mission, do you have to select to just accept it…
Hug more! Seriously—as soon as you’re done with this email, in fact—give yourself a hug, or hug a willing participant or pet nearby. 20 seconds is all it takes.
