Studies have shown2 that newborns who aren’t held regularly often have difficulty with growth and development later in life, and those who get more affectionate touch from their caregivers have stronger brain responses3. And it’s not just babies who crave that touch: Los Angeles–based licensed psychologist Ron Kaufman, Psy.D., tells mbg that when we have low oxytocin levels, our bodies may clumsily bump into others as a way of hoping to raise these levels. “Hugging stimulates the healing parasympathetic nervous system,” physiologist and sleep therapist Nerina Ramlakhan, Ph.D., tells mbg. “We produce the well-being hormones of oxytocin and serotonin, which create feelings of inner safety and trust.” Some research has even found interpersonal touch can lower our cortisol secretion7 in response to stressful situations. Some research5 even suggests people who hug more often tend to be better at resolving conflicts. “Research from psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) shows that hugging can boost levels of natural killer cells, lymphocytes, immunoglobulins, and other immune-boosting cells,” Ramlakhan explains. And as Cole also notes, all that oxytocin produced from hugging supports your T-regulatory cells13, which help keep your immune system strong14. Of course, therapeutic touch is generally more than just a hug. It generally involves a practitioner passing their hands over a patient’s body or some form of massage. (There also isn’t consensus on whether physical touch is an appropriate action for a doctor to take with their patients. “It’s appropriate for us to seek permission to supportively touch a client,” Kaufman notes. “Especially given that even the offer to hug someone raises that client’s oxytocin level.”) The increase in production of certain hormones while hugging—oxytocin and serotonin, in particular—can lead one to get better sleep and to make healthier choices overall, which can lead to reduced signs of aging. With all these pretty miraculous benefits just from wrapping your arms around someone (and vice versa), it’s not a stretch to say that we could probably all use some more warm embraces in our lives. And in case you were wondering…there are a lot of benefits of kissing, too.
