Discover 5 reasons, your health will thank you!

Have you ever wondered how many hugs you get a day? A caress, a pat on the back or a kiss can change the expression on your face completely. In fact, it is the doctor’s orders. Physical contact is a basic necessity for our health and happiness, just as much as eating or breathing, and, best of all, it is within everyone’s reach.

In this respect, research carried out by Duke University in the United States, concluded that we all need to receive and give hugs, from infancy. Why? Contact with others plays an important role in the development of neurons and, in order to keep them healthy, we must go on regularly stimulating them. There are even some experts who maintain that the more often we hug, the longer we will live.

Are you up for more hugs? Look what you will gain!

1. It reduces stress: physical contact stimulates the production of serotonin and dopamine, known as happiness and wellbeing hormones, which transmit calm and pleasure. At the same time, it helps reduce the production of cortisol, a substance generated by our body which is associated with states of nervousness and anxiety.

2. It strengthens the immune system: feeling supported when we are ill helps us recover as contact with another person’s skin raises our defences, helps create red corpuscles and maximises the effect of the treatments.

3. It improves the health of our heart: giving or receiving a hug from someone we love raises the levels of oxytocin in our body. This hormone, known as the love hormone, helps regulate blood pressure and affords numerous benefits for our cardiovascular system.

4. It raises our spirits: who is not comforted by a hug when they are feeling down? When we are going through hard times, hugging a friend can be a wonderful remedy. Cuddling triggers serotonin in our body and we gradually calm down.

5. It rejuvenates us: physical contact with other people activates the process of transporting oxygen to tissues and lengthens the life of our cells, helping us to stay young longer.

As we can see, hugs are an extraordinary source of health and happiness for everyone. They are free, comforting and, moreover, they can be given at any time. Receiving a hug will always make us feel happier and safer and, inside, our body will be healthier and stronger.

So, remember, with this there is no limit: the more hugs, the better.

This post is also available in: Spanish