30 Benefits of Hugs for Physical & Mental Health (#Hugs Now!)

People have various ways to show their feelings to other people. They may express what they feel with an action or an expression. While, people do hugging in order to show their joy, appreciation, and love to others. This physiological event is being a biological, mental, and spiritual respond to the communication. It can allow you to make a bond with another person and bring the positive effects from it. Indeed, it is one of the best ways in expressing a feeling to closest partner such as parents, friends, families, and partners in a workplace.

Moreover, the presence Oxytocin takes the main part in providing benefits of hugging. It is the hormone that is being responsible for our daily life. As a matter of fact, this hormone is also taking a role in reducing the pain when a mother is giving birth. Further, this hormone is linked to lower risks of certain diseases and boosts positive emotions

As Virgina Satir, a respected family therapist said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” It concludes that hugs are having a great role in improving our life’s quality. In addition, hugs also have many health benefits you have never expected before. Then, here we list the detailed explanation about the health benefits of hugs including physically and mentally below.

Hugs for Physical Health

1. Lowers Blood Pressure

An action for controlling the blood pressure level is a must to do. As this article described, it will be good to do hugs as an option. Consequently, the oxytocin hormones which help you in lowering the cortisol levels will be released since we do that action. Further, cortisol is the hormone that is beneficial in lowering high blood pressure and release the tension in our body. Also, hugs activate the pressure receptors called Pacinian corpuscles to send a signal to the brain for lowering the blood pressure level.

2. Lowers Risks of Heart Disease

Studies show that Oxytocin hormones produced by hugs are having many great benefits to our health. One of them is to lower the risks of having heart disease. When the oxytocin works as it decreases the heart rate, it also helps in decreasing blood pressure and cardiac illness. Meanwhile, a study shows that a partner who got hugs during the experiment have a slower heart rate of five beats per minute compared to the partner who did not get a hug. Indeed, a good action will absolutely take you to a great path.

3. Boosts Physical Health

People may consume the best food in order to boost their health. Besides, they are doing exercise routinely to complete their steps for reaching the best life. Meanwhile, hugs are one of the ways that should be taken into account. At this point, hugging is not only a great way to share the love but also it has a role in boosting our physical health as well. This action boosts your emotion then gives you more energy. Moreover, by reducing the risks of certain disease, hugs also takes more parts to boost our healthy life.

4. Improves White Blood Cells Production

The emotional charge of hugging activates the Solar Plexus Chakra which will stimulate the thymus gland. This action helps to balance the production of white blood cells. And it means, with the ideal amount of white blood cells in our body will help in preventing any access bacteria and certain diseases.

5. Prevent Inflammations

As described in the previous statement, the presence of white blood cells helps prevent certain diseases that could happen. It also prevents the access of bacteria in our body. Thus, it means that hugging is also having a role in preventing inflammations. Further, some studies show that oxytocin produced by hugging is also reducing the risks of stroke and cardiac arrest.

6. Boosts Immune System

In the same way, this statement will be linked to the previous statement. When it comes to the role in boosting the immune system, we should not forget the work of white blood cells. Since white blood cells prevent diseases, it means that it also acts as the immune system booster.
In another hand, by hugging, you may feel for being loved and have a positive thinking. It is due to the works of oxytocin which is also helping you to boost the immune system. At this matter, the better your immune system, then the less chance for you to get sick.

7. Relaxes Muscles

After you have done your work, it is best to relax your muscles. Meanwhile, hugs also can give you the benefit to relax the muscles. It allows your body to produce a good amount of oxytocin which may improve the function of your muscles. Moreover, get yourself a routine exercise may help you to enhance the great muscles.

8. Balances Nervous System

It is known that hugs take part in balancing our nervous system. It is due to the effect of touching skin which suggests a more balanced state in the nervous system called as parasympathetic. Thus, it concludes that the hugs can balance the nervous system.

9. Heals The Wound

This surprisingly benefit is one of the wonderful roles of hugging. Studies show that oxytocin has been found to speed up the healing process of wounds. Even, it helps to reduce the pain intensity. Also, it reduces the cravings of drug and alcohol addiction.

10. Cures Fever

Many of you may have ever had a fever, right? Then, you must want someone to take care of you when you got this disease. Further, a study shows that by hugging someone who got fever and cold, are likely to recover faster. In summarizing, the great support may help you deal with everything. Then, in this case, hugs might be one of the best ways to do.

11. Relieves Pain

As for hugging releases endorphins, it may help relieve the pain. It works as it blocks the pain pathways and soothes aches due to the increasing circulation of soft tissue. As the consequence, to relieve the pain, you may want hugging with someone you love.

Hugs for Mental Health

Afterward, let’s see the health benefits of hugs for mental health below.

12. Reduces Stress and Depression

With the problems in our life, some will deal with it and others will pause and feel the stress and depressed. Meanwhile, it is known that by hugging, you may help yourself in reducing the stress you feel. Indeed, you will receive more love by getting a hug from someone. This can lower the stress and help you feel happier than before. In addition, studies show the evidence that adults who were frequently hugged during early childhood face the fewer stress symptoms than others who were not. Further, you can also watch some movies, learn new things, or go to vacation in order to help yourself feel better.

13. Increases Bonding

Giving someone a hug is helping both of you make a great bond. It is oxytocin who works in increasing the bonding between people. Indeed, this hormone which produced by the pituitary gland is having a role in improving the relationship quality. Also, it provides an intimacy as the feelings shared through hugging. Thus, it is best to hugs the beloved, as you may make a really wonderful bonding with them.

14. Provides A Trust

Since a trust is something that crucial for a relationship, you have to find a way how to maintaining it. While hugging is beneficial to provide a trust between those who do hugs, this action leads you to a closer relationship since it builds empathetic feelings built between two persons. However, it is best to give your hug to the beloved one. Otherwise, it will be perceived as disconcerting and threatening behavior.

15. Cures Loneliness

Studies pointed that hugging may lead you to show smile and laughter. Then, it is an effective way to make yourself happier. With hugging, you may forget about the loneliness, depression, and anxiety by hugging. Thus, it is also shown that a deep hug may lead you to feel the togetherness you share between two persons.

16. Improves Sleep Quality

After hugging, you may feel being loved and safe. This good feeling may boost your sleep quality. Moreover, the presence of cortisol enables you to have a good sleep time. Otherwise, if you have a bad sleep quality, you may have a bigger chance of having certain diseases. Further, your body may face the lack of doing some activities.

17. Builds A Sense of Safety

Due to the touching of skin built by hugging, it provides you a sense of safety. This condition means there is a person who understands you in certain parts. Then, you may feel safe causes by hugging. Moreover, you can do hug for free, for both sexes, all races, and all ages. So, don’t miss the chance for hugging the one that you love!

18. Boosts Energy

To boost the energy, you can consume best foods and do workout routinely. Moreover, you must have a good sleep time in order restoring the energy you have spent in your day.
Meanwhile, hugs also taught us to be happy and have the energy in our life. The presence of energy comes between the people hugging and share their love. This synergy leads you to boost the energy in the body. So, it is not just the happiness you feel, but your body feel more energy by hugging.

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19. Promotes A Good Communication and Relationship

Communication is important in building a relationship. Without the presence of good communication, you may never know what the good relationship is. In addition, you must be polite, act gently, and speak the truth in order building a good communication.

In another hand, it is undeniable that hugs help to promote a good communication. When it comes to hugs, it opens the chance that someone will open the heart to you. It also provides you the trust and the right feeling you have shared. Then, it means, you have succeeded in building a great relationship.

20. Elevates mood

The work of serotonin levels may help you in elevating mood. Also, the stimulating dopamine also acts as a pleasure hormone which may make you create happiness. At this point, those hormones can be increased by hugging. Then, it is the best way to hug your friend who is feeling blue!

21. Promotes Self-esteem

Having a good self-esteem is a must. However, some people may do not know about how to maintaining a good self-esteem. Then, there is an action which may help you to promote the self –esteem. Yes, the answer is going to hugs. By hugging, we may feel being loved and special. The hugs we received remains the amount of love. Thus, this condition will lead to promote the self-esteem. In addition, in order for promoting the good self-esteem, you may think positively about yourself, then start doing something with your own beliefs in a right way.

22. Alleviates Fears

People have their own fear. It could be fear of heights, fear of snakes, or even fear of clowns. To deal with it, some of you may not have found how the way is. However, in a study, it pointed that hugs are significantly reducing the worry and the fears. Also, it helps soothe individual fears.

23. Reduces Social Anxiety

Social anxiety usually referred as social phobia. It caused by the extreme fear in social settings. For the examples, they fear from talking to people, going to crowd room, or even meeting with new people.
Meanwhile, it is known that by hugging, our body produces oxytocin hormone. This hormone helps you to reduce social anxiety. When you get a hug, you will feel more confident than before. As a result, you will be a happier and a social person at the same time.

24. Improves Sexual Desire

The next benefit of hugs is the way this action will lead you to improve your sexual desire. Since the non-erotic touch releases dopamine, it will help you to strengthen the sexual desire. Thus, hugs are indeed doing a great job in improving many health functions in our life.

25. Reveals Emotions

We may feel different emotions each of day. For today, we may feel happy, yet, in yesterday, we felt so angry caused by an accident. Indeed, we could not predict it. However, if you feel sad, depressed, or angry, you may want to be hugged. Therefore, one of the mental benefits that hugs can provide is its way to reveal the emotions. By hugging, you can express your emotions such as anger, fear, disgust, and love. Thus, hugging is the best way for you to reveals your emotions.

26. Shows Appreciation

Appreciating someone is a good way to do. If we appreciate others, they will also respect to us. They will also appreciate us for sure. That’s why we need to learn how to appreciate other persons well.
In another hand, hugs are also having a role for someone who wants to shows appreciation. If your work partner does a great job, give him a hug. It will show that you send the love to him and appreciate his work as well. Then, it is a good form of communication which can build a good relationship.

27. Boosts Memory

The studies of the human brain have been developed year by year. It is due to the main function of the brain which controls the work of the whole body. Meanwhile, the research found that by hugging, it helps you to improve your brain function. Moreover, the presence of oxytocin hormones has a role in improving our memory. Thus, if you want to have a great brain memory performance, you should not have becoming shy to hug everyone you love!

28. Makes You Happier

As explained before, those condition leads you to one thing. To make yourself happier. Indeed, it has proven that hugs have a great role in improving many positive ways which can make you happy.
Further, it is oxytocin which has a role in stimulating the brains to release the dopamine. This hormone will lead you to a happy feeling. Also, dopamine as a pleasure hormone may similarly work as cocaine and methamphetamine. Yet, you should not worry about this, because everything in dopamine is doing okay. In addition, you should hug the person you love the most. Otherwise, if the hug occurs in persons who do not even know each other, the great positive effects which may make a happy feeling will be lost.

Meanwhile, the presence of emotional action which applied in our life is really important. As the consequence, the more you get daily hugs, then the more your body produce oxytocin. Indeed, it will lead in providing many health benefits including physically and mentally. In other words, it is being a therapy for yourself. Thus, it is recommended to build a good communication by hugging since it will help you in getting a healthier and happier life. As a result, let’s hug now!