A touch and a hug are good for health, including stress
A new research from Carnegie Mellon indicates that feeling connected to others, especially through physical touch, protects us from stress-induced sickness.
Instead of being infected with germs during hugging the results were just the opposite. The research added to a already large amount of evidence for the positive influence of social support on health.
Social support can be broadly defined as the perception of meaningful relationships that serve as a psychological resource during tough times. More specifically, this means emotional support, such as expressions of compassion, and may include access to information or other assistance (like employee assistance program).
The most important outcome was what the researchers deemed a “stress-buffering effect.”
Interpersonal conflict can cause stress in many and thereby weaken their immune systems. But in participants with a strong social support the effects of conflicts did not make them ill; in fact they developed less severe cold symptoms than those who felt socially deprived.
Likewise, people fell less sick when they hugged each other more, even among individuals who frequently had tense interactions.
In other words, both social support and hugging prevented against illness.
