Everyone loves a good cuddle, but many people aren’t aware of the numerous benefits associated with a simple hug.
The mental and physical health benefits of hugs
Aside from feeling good and bringing you closer together with a partner or friend, having a cuddle is also good for you in a number of ways you’ll have never even considered.
1. Increased intimacy and sexual satisfaction
While it’s not exactly ground-breaking to claim that a cuddle can lead to physical intimacy, it’s important to remember to save some hugs for afterwards. This comprehensive 2014 study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council found that couples cuddled after sex claimed to have increased sexual satisfaction as well as overall relationship satisfaction.
2. Helping you communicate emotions
Hugs aren’t just a source of physical stimulation, they can also affect how we feel and communicate our emotions. 2012 research by psychologist Jan Åström explains that emotions such as love, gratitude, and sympathy between loved ones can all be expressed via a simple hug. So, essentially, opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, happiness and sadness can also be communicated through touch.
3. Lowering anxiety and stress
With cases of anxiety on the rise, it’s reassuring to know that something as simple as a hug from a friend, partner or loved one could mitigate the symptoms. 2014 findings from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) showed that cuddling is an effective way to reduce the harmful effects of stress, reaffirming a connection with someone close to you and providing benefits to your mental wellbeing.
4. Boosting your immune system
The same CMU study found that people who cuddled more often were less prone to illness than those who shun hugs. Dr Sheldon Cohen who led the research concluded that:
“The apparent protective effect of hugs may be attributable to the physical contact itself or to hugging being a behavioural indicator of support and intimacy. Either way, those who receive more hugs are somewhat more protected from infection.”
This essentially means that cuddling protects you from infections, as the huggers in the study experienced less severe symptoms of everyday illnesses.
5. Providing pain relief
Research conducted by Israel’s Haifa University in 2016 found that an empathetic touch from a loved one such as a partner or family member can reduce a person’s pain response. This ranges from a comforting hand hold right up to the all-important hug which, according to the report, all have an ‘analgesic effect’ i.e. pain relief usually associated with medicine.
6. Lowering blood pressure and improving memory
The Medical University of Vienna researched hugging in 2013 and found that there are many benefits – as long as you know the person well. These positive effects include lowering blood pressure and improving memory as well as increasing levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with increased social bonding. Their findings show the benefits of cuddling cover both physical and mental wellbeing.
Source: https://www.mattressonline.co.uk/blog/sleep-science/science-of-cuddling/
