Have you ever thought of the benefits of hugging?
There have apparently been studies on how much hugs can help people. When people hug each other, particularly for an extended period of time with someone they trust, the pituitary gland releases oxytocin, which is responsible for feelings of love and care and safety and comfort.
If everyone would hug for 20-seconds a day, the theory is this would be a different world.
Blood pressures would lower. Stress hormones like cortisol would be reduced. There would be a pretty significant impact on the general sense of well-being.
Interestingly enough, this may not be true for everyone as evidenced by the rebuttal I read from a fellow who deemed a 20-second hug was 17 seconds too long and the mere thought of it heaped massive amounts of undue stress on his psyche.
I think my sister would actually agree with that. She’s not much of a hugger. So the theory of hugging may only work for those who are amenable to it.
But, if you’re a hugger and get that good-feeling after sharing a hug or a snuggle with a loved-one, the 20-second hug could be just the thing for you.
From a Chinese medicine standpoint, the heart is considered the empress or emperor of our bodies and it should be protected at all costs because love is the purest of sensation for all of us and ultimately what existence is all about. When you let someone close enough – chest to chest with each other’s hearts – it’s a serious energetic exchange, not to be taken lightly.
And the body reacts as such.
Now, the part of all of this that wholeheartedly appealed to the cat-lady in me, was when the study mentioned that all of this can also be achieved if you snuggle for 20 seconds with an animal.
Our pets are quite similar to us in numerous ways and making the connection through touch is definitely one of them. Each morning when I wake up, Grayson, the only cat I own who I would actually consider marrying, searches me out – usually in the bathroom – and demands attention.
I scoop him up and hold him, quite literally like a baby, against my chest and he purrs and purrs. He will actually tuck his head in under my neck and close his eyes and truly, if I don’t move we could probably be there the whole day.
It’s definitely longer than a 20-second hug.
It’s funny, but I find I like starting my day like that. On the occasion I’m in a hurry and our morning hug doesn’t happen, I kind of feel like I missed something. Usually in the evening he’ll come around and meow and rub against my legs and I’ll tell him, “We didn’t hug today did we?” And we commence with the snuggles.
It turns out, there could be a physical, scientific reason these moments mean so much.
I know at the shelter, we’ve had dogs who would snuggle every moment of the day with us. There are the ones we affectionately call “the leaners.” They have to be touching you in some way, shape or form and will often simply lean against you for the contact.
Touch is incredibly important to them as well.
And here’s the thing. It’s mutually beneficial. It helps us and it helps our pets. The love between a human and an animal in my opinion is some of the purest on the planet. Truly unconditional. As a result, any moment of touch or hugging would be an energetic convergence of good will and wonderful feeling that I bet would top just about any chart.
So if you’re looking to benefit from the 20-second hug phenomenon, how about putting down the paper or walking away from the computer and searching out your four-legged friend?
It might be just the extra boost of oxytocin you need.
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Jennifer Vanderau is the Publications and Promotions Consultant for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter in Chambersburg, Pa., and can be reached at [email protected]. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 717-263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store
