Hugs are such a simple act of intimacy and connection, yet its impact is beyond its simple gesture.
This action holds so much power over our body and mind, and it can come in any form.
A short embrace, a tight squeeze or a simple pat on the back, varying in intensity.
Research in touch psychology found that physical contact is not only a physical yearning of the body but also psychological. Studies in this field continue to explore touch as a foundation of emotional connection intertwining both physical and mental health.
Hugs became a universal language done around the world to show love and affection. It can mean ‘goodbye’, ‘be safe’, ‘I miss you’, ‘I love you’ or a way you care without saying a word. Sometimes, a hug clearly encapsulates feelings words are not fully able to enunciate.
Chemistry of hugs
Psychology of Hugs reveals that upon physical contact of a hug, the body responds by producing different hormones that help boost our mood and give us that warm fuzzy feeling.
Oxytocin, also known as the ‘love hormone’ is responsible for making us feel relaxed and calm around someone we love. It mainly contributes towards our emotional well-being and influences our emotion during social interactions.
Dopamine, the hormone responsible for pleasure and motivation. Imbalance in dopamine levels are said to be linked in numerous mental health disorders like schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and depression.
Serotonin, the happy hormone responsible for stabilizing our mood, promoting emotional well-being and boosting our self-esteem. It gives us that feeling of happiness and makes you feel good about yourself.
All of these hormones are essential in promoting a healthy mind and excellent overall well-being but, science says that a hug best offers you is that it actually lowers cortisol levels—the stress hormone.
Cortisol mainly controls our ‘fight or flight response’ and while it is innate to us, excessive levels can be deteriorating to our body so it is important to maintain a healthy amount.
A hug actually does wonders to our body on a psychological level and can even save us from self-destruction.
Healthy embraces
Hugs provide a handful of benefits for our body in terms of physical, emotional and mental health. Some of these aspects may overlap with each other most of the time, targeting our overall well-being.
“Hugs cause a decrease in the release of cortisol, a stress hormone, and other research indicates that hugs decrease your blood pressure and heart rate in stressful situations,” says psychologist Joseph Rock, PsyD. He says that hugs have a therapeutic effect on people and can be a form of healthy communication.
Meanwhile, research team from Ruhr University Bochum in Germany and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience combined 212 past studies to gain some clarity with regards to how touch is beneficial to our health. Their review showed that touch reduces pain, anxiety and depression for both infants and adults.
A warm wrap of arms around our body yields so many benefits not only to our body but also our mind’s.
It is a form of support rooted in social connection and psychological response, showing physical contact is an important characteristic.
Havening
Havening is a technique developed by neuroscientist Ronald Ruden, Ph.D for trauma therapy that mainly uses the sense of touch. Its goal is to diffuse negative emotions and response of the minds by stimulating a form of hug. The way it is done is like self-hugging with arms crossed on your shoulders while gently stroking your arms down to your elbow and reciting positive affirmations is an option.
It can provide the same benefits as hugging someone else except this can be executed alone, especially in sudden attacks or if you are just feeling a bit stressed out and need a breather.
Havening becomes an accessible technique able to calm the body’s state of mind whenever we feel anxious.
Although a hug is not a cure, it provides a temporary source of relief for our body during stressful times. As surprising it is, hugs, whether a self-hug or with someone else, has positive benefits on our emotional well-being.
Keep in check, and hug someone today.
