tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/hugging-60553/articlesHugging – The Conversation2021-05-17T13:09:59Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1609352021-05-17T13:09:59Z2021-05-17T13:09:59ZFour health benefits of hugs – and why they feel so good<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401033/original/file-20210517-23-c14522.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C5973%2C3997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Our sense of touch is important for creating and maintaining social bonds.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/african-american-couple-wear-medical-face-1952299942">DimaBerlin/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For many people, the thing they’ve missed most during the pandemic is being able to hug loved ones. Indeed, it wasn’t until we lost our ability to hug friends and family did many realise just how important touch is for many aspects of our health – <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_physical_touch_matters_for_your_well_being">including our mental health</a>. </p>
<p>But now that vaccine programmes are being rolled out and restrictions are beginning to ease in much of the UK, many people will be keen to hug again. And the good news is that not only do hugs feel good – they also have many health benefits.</p>
<p>The reason hugs feel so good has to do with our sense of touch. It’s an extremely important sense which allows us not only to physically explore the world around us, but also to communicate with others by creating and <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82120998.pdf">maintaining social bonds</a>.</p>
<p>Touch consists of two distinct systems. The first is “fast-touch”, a system of nerves which allows us to rapidly detect contact (for example, if a fly landed on your nose, or you touched something hot). The second system is “slow-touch”. This is a population of recently discovered nerves, called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763408001693">c-tactile afferents</a>, which process the emotional meaning of touch.</p>
<p>These c-tactile afferents have essentially evolved to be “cuddle nerves” and are typically activated by a very specific kind of stimulation: a gentle, skin-temperature touch, the kind typical of a hug or caress. We see c-tactile afferents as the neural input stage in signalling the rewarding, pleasurable aspects of social tactile interactions such as hugging and touching. </p>
<p>Touch is the first sense to start working in the womb (around 14 weeks). From the moment we’re born, the gentle caress of a mother has multiple health benefits, such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938418308126">lowering heart rate</a> and promoting the growth of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2865952/">brain cell connections</a>.</p>
<p>When someone hugs us, the stimulation of c-tactile afferents in our skin sends signals, via the spinal cord, to the brain’s emotion processing networks. This induces a cascade of neurochemical signals, which have proven health benefits. Some of the neurochemicals include the hormone <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01529/full">oxytocin</a>, which plays an important role in social bonding, slows down heart rate and reduces stress and anxiety levels. The release of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763420306898?via%25253Dihub">endorphins</a> in the brain’s reward pathways supports the immediate feelings of pleasure and wellbeing derived from a hug or caress.</p>
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<img alt="A young girl runs to hug her grandpa, who is wearing a mask outdoors." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401034/original/file-20210517-15-ztze7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/401034/original/file-20210517-15-ztze7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401034/original/file-20210517-15-ztze7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401034/original/file-20210517-15-ztze7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401034/original/file-20210517-15-ztze7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401034/original/file-20210517-15-ztze7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/401034/original/file-20210517-15-ztze7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Hugging releases many important neurochemicals.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/virus-rules-stay-there-grandfather-granddaughter-1703507518">Mladen Zivkovic/ Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Hugging has such a relaxing and calming effect that it also benefits our health in other ways.</p>
<p><strong>It improves our sleep:</strong>
From the benefits of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31655427/">co-sleeping</a> with infants to <a href="https://www.sleep.org/cuddling-and-sleep/">cuddling your partner</a>, gentle touch is known to regulate our sleep, as it lowers levels of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a key regulator of our sleep-wake cycle but also increases when we’re stressed. So it’s no wonder high levels of stress can delay sleep and cause fragmented <a href="https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/full/10.5664/jcsm.7100">sleep patterns or insomnia</a>.</p>
<p><strong>It reduces reactivity to stress:</strong>
Beyond the immediate soothing and pleasurable feelings provided by a hug, social touch also has longer-term benefits to our health, making us <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ejn.14951">less reactive to stress</a> and building resilience. </p>
<p>Nurturing touch, during early developmental periods, produces higher levels of oxytocin receptors and lower levels of cortisol in brain regions that are vital for <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01529/full">regulating emotions</a>. Infants that receive high levels of nurturing contact grow up to be less reactive to stressors and show <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0045446">lower levels of anxiety</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Increases wellbeing and pleasure:</strong>
Across our lifespan, social touch bonds us together and helps <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452220307405">maintain our relationships</a>. As noted, this is because it releases endorphins, which makes us see hugs and touch as rewarding. Touch provides the “glue” that holds us together, underpinning our physical and emotional wellbeing. </p>
<p>And when touch is desired, the benefits are shared by both people in the exchange. In fact, even stroking your pet can have benefits on health and wellbeing – with oxytocin levels increasing in both the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5645535/">pet and the owner</a>.</p>
<p><strong>It could help us fight off infections:</strong>
Through regulation of our hormones – including oxytocin and cortisol – touching and hugging can also affect our body’s immune response. Whereas high levels of stress and anxiety can suppress our ability to <a href="http://www.sakkyndig.com/psykologi/artvit/segerstrom2004.pdf">fight infections</a>, close, supportive <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imm.12341">relationships benefit health and well-being</a>. </p>
<p>Research even suggests that cuddling in bed could <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25526910/">protect us against the common cold</a>. By monitoring hugging frequency among just over 400 adults who were then exposed to a common cold virus, researchers found the “huggers” won hands-down in being less likely to get a cold. And even if they did, they had less severe symptoms.</p>
<h2>Hug it out</h2>
<p>While it’s important we continue to keep ourselves safe, it’s equally as important that we don’t give up hugs forever. Social isolation and loneliness are known to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691614568352?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&amp;rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&amp;rfr_dat=cr_pub%252520%2525200pubmed">increase our chances of premature death</a> – and perhaps future research should investigate whether it’s a lack of hugs or social touch that may be driving this. Touch is an instinct that is all-around beneficial for our <a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(14)00387-0">mental and physical health</a> – so we should celebrate its return.</p>
<p>Of course, not everyone craves a hug. So for those that don’t, there’s no reason to worry about missing out on the benefits of hugs – as giving yourself a hug has also been shown to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006899314001395">regulate emotional processes</a> and reduce stress.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160935/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Francis McGlone has received funding from The Leverhulme Trust, BIAL, </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Susannah Walker receives funding from The Leverhulme Trust and BIAL. </span></em></p>Touch is the first sense to develop in the womb.Francis McGlone, Professor in Neuroscience, Liverpool John Moores UniversitySusannah Walker, Senior Lecturer, Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1581742021-04-07T13:58:23Z2021-04-07T13:58:23ZHandshakes and hugs are good for you – it’s vital they make a comeback after the pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393652/original/file-20210406-21-viefsd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6904%2C4000&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/collage-group-young-casual-people-over-1242268915">Krakenimages.com/Shuttersstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When was the last time you shook someone’s hand, or kissed them on the cheek to say hello? The pandemic has put a stop to these simple gestures, while social distancing and strict hygiene practices have become part of our everyday lives as a necessary way of minimising the spread of the virus. But should this new way of interacting be permanent?</p>
<p>Some experts say that we might not, or even should not, return to the old ways once the pandemic is over. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the US president, has <a href="https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/dr-anthony-fauci-on-how-life-returns-to-normal/d5754969-7027-431e-89fa-e12788ed9879?mod=article_inline&adobe_mc=MCMID=34004067059009781764618836513053788363%7CMCORGID=CB68E4BA55144CAA0A4C98A5%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS=1586545736">said</a>, “I don’t think we should ever shake hands ever again”. He argues that it would reduce the spread of not only COVID-19 but also other viruses such as influenza. </p>
<p>We disagree. As soon as the pandemic is under control and it is deemed safe to do so, there are good reasons why we should start gradually embracing some of our old habits: hugging, handshaking and gathering in groups. In cultures where such habits have been customary for centuries, doing so will have a host of social, psychological and biological benefits.</p>
<p>The loss of casual touch may be detrimental to society as a whole in a way that can’t be made up for by hugging those few people closest to us or in our household. It may be that, once it is deemed safe to do so, the long-term benefits of the handshake, the hug or the kiss on the cheek may outweigh the risks. </p>
<h2>The importance of touch</h2>
<p>From the moment of birth, physical contact increases our immunity, reduces stress, and connects us with loved ones. <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003519.pub4/full">Skin-to-skin</a> contact with a baby regulates heart rate, reduces pain reactions, and emotionally calms both mother and infant. </p>
<p>As adults, physical contact such as holding hands can provide a buffer against a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453007000698">stressful experience</a>. Physical contact also increases <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045159">immune function</a>. </p>
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<img alt="Two people hugging, one with their back to the camera." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393655/original/file-20210406-17-v4ajbk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393655/original/file-20210406-17-v4ajbk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393655/original/file-20210406-17-v4ajbk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393655/original/file-20210406-17-v4ajbk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393655/original/file-20210406-17-v4ajbk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393655/original/file-20210406-17-v4ajbk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393655/original/file-20210406-17-v4ajbk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Get ready to hug it out.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/head-shot-close-happy-mixed-race-1564175437">fizkes/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>On a less intimate level, in many cultures, handshakes represent an important social ritual through which trust and belonging are formed and maintained. The philosopher <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/merleau-ponty/">Maurice Merleau-Ponty</a> cited the handshake in his discussion of what he termed “inter-corporeality” - that is the, often tacit or unconscious, mutual recognition of our connectedness as human beings. </p>
<h2>The wisdom of crowds</h2>
<p>In our <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/7/e039334">research</a>, we have found that many people are anxious about returning to the habit of gathering in groups, even after the pandemic has subsided. This anxiety is understandable, but in the long term we should be encouraging group gatherings. </p>
<p>Crowds provide opportunities for what sociologist Emile Durkheim called “<a href="https://sociologicalscience.com/download/vol-6/january/SocSci_v6_27to42.pdf">collective effervescence</a>”. Such gatherings help us form and “catch” shared emotions, which can help provide the social glue for solidarity, togetherness and shared identity. This is a good thing provided the mood is a positive one, for example at weddings, concerts and sporting events.</p>
<h2>Behaviours that are here to stay</h2>
<p>With optimism over vaccines being tempered by concern over new variants, we need to reflect on which behaviours we should keep after the pandemic, and which we should discard. </p>
<p>The pandemic may have made many people more aware of the role they play in protecting others, even when they themselves may not be particularly vulnerable to a disease. In many countries, health information campaigns early on in the pandemic led to dramatic improvements in <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2020/03/17/personal-measures-taken-avoid-covid-19">self-reported personal hygiene</a>, and many more people now understand exactly what <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7104628/">good hand hygiene</a> is, the rationale for it, and the benefits it brings. </p>
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<img alt="Colorful crowd of people of a big music festival in a stage lights as a beautiful background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393658/original/file-20210406-17-y9ysr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/393658/original/file-20210406-17-y9ysr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393658/original/file-20210406-17-y9ysr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393658/original/file-20210406-17-y9ysr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393658/original/file-20210406-17-y9ysr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393658/original/file-20210406-17-y9ysr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/393658/original/file-20210406-17-y9ysr5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">‘Remember social distancing?’</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/colorful-crowd-people-big-music-festival-731104447">kondr.konst/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>We should continue to avoid touch and engage in physical distancing when suffering from a cold or the flu. Mask-wearing, long established in other cultures as a means to protect others rather than ourselves, is now being <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2020/03/17/personal-measures-taken-avoid-covid-19">more widely</a> understood and adhered to, with many of us assuming it will be an <a href="https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/how-are-you-doing/how-are-we-doing-in-wales-reports/week-48-report-how-are-we-doing-in-wales/">occasional part</a> of our lives for years to come. This is also a good thing. </p>
<h2>Bringing back rituals</h2>
<p>The ingrained nature of social habits and rituals help explain why social distancing has been so difficult and so unnatural for so many. Although we have, quite remarkably, suppressed these gestures and behaviours in the short term, the depth of social connection they create and symbolise may not be so easy to replace in the long term.</p>
<p>When it is safe to do so, policies that prevent us physically coming together as individuals will thankfully be lifted. </p>
<p>After the pandemic, we need to strike a balance between the old and new normal. We can take the best bits of both - regaining our need for physical touch while retaining our new and improved hygiene habits.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/158174/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Physical contact is important for our mental health and social bonding. We need to bring it back as soon as it’s safe to do so.Simon Nicholas Williams, Senior Lecturer in People and Organisation, Swansea UniversityKimberly Dienes, Lecturer in Clinical and Health Psychology, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1043182018-10-04T05:36:14Z2018-10-04T05:36:14ZThe power of a hug can help you cope with conflict<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239269/original/file-20181004-52674-1dqswsh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Who doesn't love a good hug?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/capturetheuncapturable/4684873228/">Flickr/Capture The Uncapturable</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Friends, children, romantic partners, family members – many of us exchange hugs with others on a regular basis. New research from the United States, <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203522">published today in PLOS</a>, now shows hugs can help us to cope with conflict in our daily life.</p>
<p>Hugs are considered a form of <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1088868316650307">affectionate touch</a>. Hugs occur between social partners of all types, and sometimes even strangers. </p>
<p>They often arise in positive contexts – while greeting, celebrating an achievement, or simply enjoying the presence of a loved one – but they can also occur in negative contexts when support is needed.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-talk-about-the-mental-health-of-content-moderators-103830">We need to talk about the mental health of content moderators</a>
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<p>Affectionate touch buffers anxiety associated with potential negative events. For instance, in one <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01832.x">study</a>, brain activity among participants who held their romantic partner’s hand during a stressful situation reflected less intense threat responses compared to that of participants who held a stranger’s hand, or no hand at all. </p>
<h2>Hugs and conflict</h2>
<p>The new <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203522">research</a>, led by Carnegie Mellon’s <a href="https://murphypsychology.com/about/">Michael Murphy</a>, reveals the important role that hugs can play in buffering against the negative impact of interpersonal conflict such as disagreements and arguments.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239270/original/file-20181004-52660-10wv1f3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Family hugs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dkjd/3806263135/">Flickr/Devon D Ewart</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
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<p>This study used data from 404 generally healthy adults. They were interviewed via phone by a researcher at the end of the day, each day, for 14 days. </p>
<p>Participants indicated whether or not they had experienced any interpersonal tension or conflict during their day, and whether anyone had hugged them in the past 24 hours. They also rated their experience of both positive affect (such as happy, calm, cheerful) and negative affect (for instance, unhappy, angry, tense) that day.</p>
<p>Most participants (93%) reported receiving a hug on at least one day of the interview period. The same was true for interpersonal conflict (69%). Four per cent of total days of interview data involved conflict with no receipt of a hug. Ten per cent of days involved conflict and receipt of a hug.</p>
<p>How did interpersonal conflict and hugs contribute to emotional experience? On days when individuals experienced conflict when they had had a hug, they experienced less negative affect and more positive affect than on days when they experienced conflict when they had had no hug. The pattern for negative affect even carried over to the next day.</p>
<p>You might wonder how robust these results were. When the researchers examined participant sex, they found a few overall results (e.g., men reported both more conflict and more hug receipt than women), but the key finding above held for both sexes. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239272/original/file-20181004-52688-4zu4x7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Age is no barrier as to who benefits from a hug.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/doniree/6816838567/">Flickr/donireewalker</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Further, in all analyses, the researchers controlled for participants’ age, ethnicity, marital status, education, and the number of unique individuals participants had interacted with on a given day – thus ruling out many alternative explanations.</p>
<p>What we don’t yet know is the causal order of this relationship. The study design only assessed whether a hug was received and whether interpersonal conflict had occurred. So, it’s unclear whether the hug preceded or followed from the conflict. </p>
<p>We also don’t know whether the hug and the conflict involved the same person, nor do we know the type or severity of the conflict. So we should be careful about advocating “<a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hug%20it%20out">hugging it out</a>”.</p>
<p>Those caveats aside, this research fits within a broader <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763408001723">field of research</a> that points to the importance of affectionate touch – for both physical and social wellbeing. For instance, other <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614559284">findings</a> from this research team show that receiving hugs reduces the likelihood of catching the common cold, and reduces the severity of symptoms even if infected.</p>
<h2>Why are hugs beneficial?</h2>
<p>Why might hugs be beneficial? Being hugged leads to release of the hormone <a href="https://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2016-02-03/the-health-benefits-of-hugging">oxytocin</a>, setting off a range of downstream outcomes that could explain the benefits of hugging. Oxytocin is involved in a <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/neuroscience-the-hard-science-of-oxytocin-1.17813">complex range</a> of social processes, but has been implicated romantic bonding and trust.</p>
<p>Other research suggests the benefits of hugs and affectionate touch more generally rest within the cardiovascular system. One <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1802/c19b1e7fb2e3a61966e37101c9ed0b329c32.pdf">study</a> found lower systolic blood pressure in the husbands of couples asked to increase the frequency of affectionate touch with one another. Other <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051104001632">research</a> documents lowered blood pressure and heart rate among women who receive frequent hugs.</p>
<p>Psychologically, hugs and affectionate touch more generally communicate social support. </p>
<p>We hug to convey that we care, that we’re grateful for a benefit received, that we share in an achievement. Receiving a hug therefore serves as a signal that the social relationship is characterised by closeness and concern. It’s no surprise then, that relationships characterised by frequent affectionate touch are <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167213497592">happier relationships</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239273/original/file-20181004-52681-1m4o8x0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You need to come close for a good hug.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/panca_satrio/1461116793/">Flickr/Panca Satrio Nugroho</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<h2>Hug specifics</h2>
<p>Not all hugs are alike. Does variability in hug characteristics matter?</p>
<p>Does giving hugs carry similar benefit as receiving hugs? Some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938417301336">research</a> indicates that being on the receiving end of affectionate touch has the most benefit. Chances are, though, that fully reciprocal hugs are equally beneficial.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-survival-guide-for-the-coming-ai-revolution-72974">A survival guide for the coming AI revolution</a>
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</em>
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<p>Can the benefits of affectionate touch carry beyond humans? The answer is yes. Hugging and affectionate touch with <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8172336">robots</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/therapy-dogs-can-help-reduce-student-stress-anxiety-and-improve-school-attendance-93073">therapy dogs</a> and <a href="http://time.com/4728315/science-says-pet-good-for-mental-health/">pets of all types</a> produce a range of positive outcomes, likely supported by the same underlying mechanisms as human to human touch, such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408111/">oxytocin release</a>.</p>
<p>Does the number of hugs and the number of people you hug matter? More hugs are better, at least among <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15740822">romantic couples</a>, but we don’t yet know if more frequent hugs with a larger number of people is important.</p>
<p>Does the duration of the hug matter? Most hugs are <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2011/01/hugs-follow-3-second-rule">three seconds</a> long, but evidence suggests that hugs of <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4131508.stm">20 seconds</a> are those that kick off the cardiovascular benefits mentioned above.</p>
<p>So seek out a hug. Chances are, you’ll be better for it.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/239271/original/file-20181004-52695-1lo8yyu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Even a hug with a cuddly friend can help from time to time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sfllaw/758230902/">Flickr/Simon Law</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104318/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa A Williams receives funding from the Australian Research Council (LP140100034).</span></em></p>There’s a good reason to seek out a hug. Research shows having a hug can help you deal better with any disagreements or arguments you encounter in life.Lisa A Williams, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.