Last update: February 18, 2022
No hug is small if given from the heart and if we can feel it as a true display of affection, interest and love. The good thing is that there are as many hugs as there are people and circumstances, which allows our emotional world to be filled with shades of a thousand colors.
There are hugs that protect us, that recompose us, that tell us that "everything will be fine" and that remind us that we must be patient and take a few moments to feel the affection of those around us.
There are also people who specialize in giving hugs that recompose broken souls and illuminate the heart. Ultimately, like everything we perceive, the sensation transmitted by a hug also has its reflection in our biology and implies changes in our body. Let's see more about it ...
Oxytocin: the hormone of hugs and affection
First, we need to know that the so-called Corpuscles of Meissner and Pacini are responsible for the reception by our brain of the sensations (tightness, warmth, softness) produced by an embrace, which are sent to the cerebral cortex.
These sensory receptors, called mechanoreceptors, have specific functions, they help us feel caresses, hugs, tickles. Although they are found throughout the body, they are mainly present in the hands and lips which, therefore, are the areas that offer greater precision in the information sent to the brain.
Our brain secretes oxytocin, the hormone responsible for attaching us to other people. To put it another way, it's about being aware of a feeling and translating the hug into affection.
As we release oxytocin, we reduce the secretion of cortisol (the hormone responsible for stress) and adrenaline (the hormone responsible for anxiety). Broadly speaking, we can say that this is the process that helps us feel better and relax through hugs.
In this sense it could be said that the more lasting and profound the embrace is, the more we are emotionally "dependent" on the person, the more we want to see and be close to them; our hormones tell us that well-being comes from the hand of someone who loves us.
The hug is as addictive as a drug
Numerous discoveries regarding the psychophysiological reality of hugging help us to state that hugs and displays of affection are addictive like a drug. Let's review some curiosities:
- Reduce the fear of death: there are studies that claim that hugs help reduce fear of death and other existential issues.
- As we have said, by promoting the secretion of oxytocin, they nurture feelings of trust, union and devotion, which helps us bond and relax.
- They stimulate the secretion of dopamine and, therefore, activate our brain pleasure center (including the nucleus accumbens). For this reason, the connection between the arm and the person is strengthened. Drugs like cocaine act on the brain in the same way.
- A hug favors the presence of serotonin, substance that facilitates well-being and euthymia (the balance of our mood). For this reason, as mentioned on other occasions, a pair of sad eyes need to ask less questions and give more hugs.
- Since promote relaxation, they help us strengthen the immune system and be stronger to protect us from possible diseases.
What is certain is that the list of healthy benefits and effects of a hug is endless. Knowing this, then, the first thing we have clear is that any hug is courageous and potentially meaningful. Because there is no small hug if it is given with the heart.
