A hug is all you need: Discover the healing power of touch!

Zee Media Bureau/Ritu Singh

As a child, whenever you used to get hurt or felt sad, you rushed to your mother for a hug. When you grew old, a mere hug from a loved one or a friend was enough to uplift your mood. What is so special about this nurturing touch that each one of us crave?

It is so because human touch is the most powerful therapy in this world and a hug is the most intimate bond that two people can share. And I am not talking about a mere cursory hug but a wholehearted one, more like a big bear hug. Nothing exemplifies love and affection like a good hug. It not only provides emotional support but also renders numerous health benefits.

No other relief is as affordable, efficient and healing as a hug!

Psychotherapist Virginia Satir rightly says , “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”

Here are the reasons why you should. And today is the perfect day to do so because the New Year is here:

• Studies show that hugging your partner/lover could lower his or her blood pressure.
• Hugs are perfect for relieving stress and calming a troubled mind. When we embrace, we immediately reduce the amount of the stress hormone cortisol produced in our bodies.
• Holding a hug for an extended time lifts one's serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.
• The nurturing touch of a hug instills a sense of trust and confidence and also alleviates the feelings of loneliness and anxiety.
• Blood levels of the hormone oxytocin were much higher in the women who were hugged the most.
• Hugging is effective in protecting people from stress-induced susceptibility to infection such as viral infection.
• A hug can release tension in the body by combating pain and improving your blood circulation.
• Hugs help soothe individuals' irrational fears and boosts self-esteem. All of us want to be loved feel special and a hug is the perfect way to do that

So get out there and hug someone today!