7 benefits hugs can offer

The famous American family therapist Virginia Satir (1916-1988) stated that we need 4 hugs a day to survive, 8 to “maintain” our happiness and 12 hugs a day to grow. Yes, we all know the importance of a hug. This seems to be a universal way to show excitement, love, happiness, and even sadness. It turns out that hugs don’t just bring apparent comfort. They contribute, in fact, to our physical and psychological health.

We, from incredible.club, we love this manifestation of affection. So we looked at clinical studies to find out how our bodies can benefit from hugging. We share with you the results found.

Hugs are known to be a good remedy to fight stress. However, this is not the only physical benefit that hugs bring us: a study carried out at Carnegie Mellon University in partnership with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, both in the USA, showed that supporting other people with affection reduces the chances of getting sick. .

The experiment involved 404 adults exposed to a virus that causes the common cold. Participants were divided into 2 groups: the first group received more support and hugs while the rest were left without this type of comfort. The result showed that hugging had a mitigating effect in those who were exposed to regular hugging; moreover, those who still got sick showed less severe signs of the disease.

Hugging stimulates the nervous system, reducing the feeling of loneliness, fighting internal fears and helping to increase self-confidence. Also, supporting other people through touch helps them to perceive your admiration and support, positively affecting the overall health of the body.

Another study, carried out by the University of North Carolina (USA) proved that hugs are good for heart health. The survey was conducted with about 200 participants who, in turn, were divided into two groups:

Before being subjected to a stressful situation, people in the first group watched a romantic video for 10 minutes. They should hold each other’s hands and then hug each other for 20 seconds.

The results showed that the first group recorded lower blood pressure and more stable heart rate, meaning that people who receive regular hugs and support are more resistant to stress, benefiting their cardiovascular health.

Oxytocin is called the “love hormone” because its levels increase when we hug and touch others. This hormone has a strong effect on women, especially those who receive regular hugs.

A study carried out by the University of New York (USA) demonstrated that some forms of touch can help reduce pain. In the experiment, so-called “therapeutic touch” helped people with fibromyalgia syndrome feel less pain. Participants also claimed that their quality of life improved within 6 sessions of physical touch treatment. As hugging is one of the ways to touch, it can also contribute to reducing pain.

In a study called “Meanings of Hugging: From Greeting Behavior to Touching Implications,” Lena Forsell and Jan Åström, Swedish psychology researchers, identified several major benefits that a brief 10-second hug provides. Among these positive effects, they highlighted that hugs help fight the feeling of tiredness and contribute to psychological well-being.

Thanks to the already mentioned oxytocin, hugs help to combat the sensations of social phobia. Try hugging someone you know when you arrive at a new party and you’ll notice how confident, relaxed and sociable you’ll feel! All this because oxytocin inspires us to think positively and have a more positive view of the world.

While some people can keep hugging the entire time, others are happy with just 5 minutes of hugging every day. Which group are you part of? Do you believe that hugs change our lives that much? Comment!