personality disorders and other conditions that make it difficult for them to live in society. Historical reports of children who grew up “feral,” or in the wild without the benefit of touch, show they often have difficulty assimilating into a group. Touch is the primary language to com- municate compassion and is fundamental to communication, bonding and health. It supports the immune system, reduces stress, encourages sleep and has no side effects. It doesn’t drain your batteries, but recharges you instead. Western cultures often experience a deficiency in touch. Before he passed in 1974, psychologist Sidney Jourard com- pleted a study in which he measured touch between friends in the U.S., England, France and Puerto Rico. In England, peo- ple didn’t touch at all. In the U.S. friends touched up to two times an hour. This is in deep contrast to friends in
France who touched up to 110 times in an hour, or in Puerto Rico where they touched up to 180 times in an hour.
Health Benefits of Oxytocin Humans are wired so that hugs make
you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Whether it’s a mother-child embrace, a hug from a friend or a squeeze from your significant other, research suggests these touches deliver some real emotional and physical health benefits. The basis for several of the benefits
psychologists associate with hugging is the result of release of oxytocin. Also called the “love hormone” or “cuddle hormone,” it is released from your pituitary gland, triggering a flood of emotions depending upon the environment in which you as- sociate the hormone. In other words, in cases where the
hormone was released during situations that were not pleasant, such as during poor relationships, it can make you less accept- ing of people. The hormone was first rec- ognized for the role it played in bonding mother and child during pregnancy and nursing.
While oxytocin appears to be related to the bond a mother feels to her infant, those interactions also increase the amount oxytocin secreted by the infant. The bonding experience of oxytocin is not limited to infancy, but also translates into adulthood, triggering feelings of trust and support between people who hug. These reactions are the result of ac-
tions as a neurotransmitter on the emo- tional center of the brain. It promotes feelings of contentment and may even promote monogamous behavior, espe- cially in men who are already bonded to a woman. The release of oxytocin with hugging triggers feelings of compassion for the other person, a necessary form of connec- tion and support during times of psycho- logical stress or grief. Feelings of intimacy and closeness give you an optimistic sense of where you fit socially and a positive sense of well-being.
Relationship Between Hugs and Cortisol The release of oxytocin reduces your
levels of stress hormone, or cortisol. This reduction in stress, combined with a sense of emotional support, appears to support your immune system and make you less susceptible to the common cold. Research has found your perceived social support and the number of hugs you give and get could predict your susceptibil- ity to developing a cold, finding that hugs could explain 32 percent of the beneficial effect. Even those who got a cold had less severe symptoms when they had more
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