7 Reasons That Prove Hugging Is Great For Your Health

It is true that during periods of aloneness, sadness, surprising or happy moments, it is hugs that fill us with warmth and motivation. Sometimes tight hugs when you are not feeling well or are upset, can do a lot to cheer you up. When you are happy and get light hearted hugs, then you feel that you have people who connect with you and this doubles up the whole happiness quotient. Whether welcome hugs, wishing hugs or love hugs, we all love to hug and get hugged for every small reason.

Being humans, we have developed our own ways to communicate some feelings via gestures to support our words and one among this is hugging. Many cultures have different opinions about expressing feelings via hugs but as a matter of fact, even science advocates that giving patients hug therapy regularly can help in boosting happy hormones in their body, owing to which they may positively respond to medication and treatments.

Now when science has come in support of hugging as a harmless therapy, here are 7 reasons that prove hugging is great for your health, which will motivate you to start giving and receiving more hugs than usual:

1. The Longer The Better For Your Health

Our body has been designed in a way that with a change in our feelings, the release of chemicals and hormones too undergo a change. When you hug, a chemical named oxytocin is released in the brain that is often associated with happiness and how well you bond socially. This chemical in fact, improves the level of trust and devotion. However, for the release of the oxytocin chemical, the action of hugging must last longer. Longer the hug, more is the secretion of this chemical and better is the impact of the hug on your feelings. In such cases, hugging your loved ones will remarkably raise the release of this chemical.

2. Keeps Your Heart Strong

Now this one seems to be a deal! Yes, hugs, especially the romantic ones, help in keeping your heart in great health. As per a study conducted by American Psychosomatic Society in 2009, partners who held hands and hugged for around 20 seconds before sharing their stressful experiences had lower heart rate and lower blood pressure in comparison to those who were not allowed to share hugs with their partner before speaking. In fact, there was a significant rise in the blood pressure and the rate of heart beat among people who did not share this physical contact with their partners.

3. Extremely Comforting

Don’t you remember, during your childhood when you woke up screaming after a nightmare or suffered from injury, you used to get a comforting hug from your parents? No medicine or any other act can be as soothing and comforting as a hug from parents when your heart feels pain or fear. The feeling that someone is there to protect you instils positivity in you. The act of holding to console a person via hugging is actually one of the most common human ways of expressing love.

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4. Reduces Stress Levels

Cortisol is a hormone that controls your stress levels. The higher the release of cortisol hormone in your brain, the greater is the stress you feel. There have been numerous studies that have found that the kind of touch offered by hugging can actually lower down the release of cortisol hormones. Besides, hugging stimulates the secretion of two other hormones, serotonin and dopamine, which make you feel happy.

5. Helps In Reducing Blood Pressure

You may find it ridiculous but many medical experts have agreed that hugging can help in lowering blood pressure temporarily. While hugging, your body’s pressure receptors get activated, owing to which, the part of your brain that helps in lowering blood pressure receives signals. So while you are thinking of adopting a healthy lifestyle, don’t forget to incorporate hugging in your routine practise to keep your blood pressure under control.

6. Improves Brain’s Cognitive Functioning

Your brain is a complex organ and there are various chemicals in different proportions that controls your mood and feelings. Hugging random people may not give you the desired effect. Hugging people whom you love, care, trust or bond over can help in triggering the release of good brain chemicals, which can make you feel comfortable, happy and help you in improving your concentration and memorising abilities.

7. Perks You Up Instantly

Everyone does feel good when hugged. When you get hugs from your spouse, parents or children, they make you feel that you hold an important place in their lives and they love you selflessly. Even hugs by friends showcase their level of trust for you and such kind of hugs can notably improve your energy levels and can revive you even from depression. The act of hugging is beneficial for both the persons; the one who gives and the other who receives. You don’t lose a single dime for hugging and since it is equivalent to many therapies, why not start hugging to give yourself and your loved ones, a dosage of great health?