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With some questionable health advice being posted by your friends on Facebook, politicians arguing about the state of the American healthcare system and a new medical study being summarized in just a sentence or two on TV---that seems to contradict the study you heard summarized yesterday---it can be overwhelming to navigate the ever-changing landscape of health news.

To Your Health: Hugs Heal

Just about everyone has heard of Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but what about the saying, “A hug a day keeps the doctor away?”

As silly as it sounds, this quote holds some truth.

According to Penn State University, when two people hug, it causes their bodies to release several hormones, such as oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine. Higher levels of these hormones are known to have a calming effect, improve moods, help with sleep cycles and aid in digestion. Intermountain Healthcare explains that increases in these hormones even lower levels of depression. A hug that lasts just 6 seconds releases the maximum amount of these hormones.

According to a research study published in Psychological Science, being hugged more frequently is associated with a lower risk of infection. In this study, researchers recorded the amount each participant was hugged before they were exposed to a virus. They found that the more hugs a participant received, the less likely they were to become infected. The study also found that out of the participants who got sick, the ones who were hugged more frequently had less severe symptoms.

Hugging is good for your heart, as well. A research study published in Behavioral Medicine found that there was a smaller elevation in blood pressure and heart rate during stress in participants who were hugged prior to the stressor than those who were not hugged.

This evidence should give us all a good reason to hug someone!

Content for this segment was created by Stephanie Waser as part of a project for SC301: Foundations of Health Communication, taught by Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs.

Resources:
https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/18/the-benefits-of-hugging/

https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2015/02/cuddle-and-hug-your-way-to-better-health/

Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., Turner, R. B., & Doyle, W. J. (2014). Does hugging provide
stress-buffering social support? A study of susceptibility to upper respiratory infection and illness. Psychological Science, 26(2), 135-147. doi:10.1177/0956797614559284

Grewen, K. M., Anderson, B. J., Girdler, S. S., & Light, K. C. (2003). Warm partner contact is
related to lower cardiovascular reactivity. Behavioral Medicine, 29(3), 123–130.

https://doi.org/10.1080/08964280309596065

Dr. Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs is an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, Middle & Secondary Education. She writes for special publications of The Southeast Missourian and is a certified Community Health Worker.
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