With Valentines day just around the corner – what a better time to talk about the benefits of a good hold huggly snuggly squeeze of our loved ones
CREDIT – VIMALA MCCLURE – founder of International Association of Infant Massage
BENEFITS OF TOUCH LAST ALL OUR LIFE ???
If you and your partner regularly find yourselves sleeping on opposite sides of the bed, get cozy! You’ll enjoy physical and psychological benefits from spending some time cuddling in each other’s arms.
And when’s the last time you received—or gave—a big, tight embrace to your partner? Whether it’s an intimate tangle or a heartfelt hug, physical touch with a loved one is healthy in many ways. Here, happiness expert Andrea F. Polard, Psy.D., discusses the benefits of touch.
IT CREATES A SENSE OF SECURITY.
“Our bodies are neurologically wired, and when we’re touched, our senses are ignited through the skin, and our brain gets a message,” says Polard. The skin’s sensory nerve endings are hooked up to the part of the brain that handles emotional response. When you’re touched, your brain gets the message that you’re feeling safe, secure, and good.
IT REDUCES STRESS.
If you’ve had an overwhelming day, a good hug from your partner can do wonders to help you feel more relaxed. There’s a neurological reaction that travels from the skin to the brain in split-seconds after we’re touched. This chemical reaction tells the emotional center of the brain, the amygdala, that you can relax. This reduces the stress hormone cortisol and increases the release of positive hormones, like oxytocin, also known as “the cuddle hormone.” Touch stimulates oxytocin, and more oxytocin instantly informs the brain that we are bonding with someone and feeling calm.
IT HELPS IMPROVE HEART HEALTH.
“When you are feeling subjectively reassured, you also reduce blood pressure, your pulse goes down, and you are calming your body, which puts less stress on your heart,” according to Polard. All of these physical benefits of hugging and touch can lead to a healthier, longer life. ‘The cells that give the brain stem a message that all is okay have an immediate impact on these lower regions of the brain that affect things like sweating, blood pressure and pulse, which all add up to better health.”
IT MAY HELP YOU AVOID CATCHING COLDS AND THE FLU.
“Every time you lower your stress hormone cortisol, you are increasing your ability to fight disease, which has an impact on your immune system,” Polard says. Stress and cortisol tax your immune system, so when you reduce those factors, you’re keeping your immunity running efficiently, making you less likely to get sick.
Whether it’s a cuddle with your partner or a heartfelt hug with your kids, the simple act of touch can brighten a bad day, help you relax, and even fight off illnesses. If you’re not making time for it, you’re missing out on one of the easiest and quickest ways to improve your overall well-being.