These last 2-3 years (which in fact are looking like a century) with the pandemic on foot, people around the world have changed the way they treat others, especially when it comes to greeting someone or expressing love someone. However, with the somewhat change in the situation it has become easier to meet our loved ones, so you also have the opportunity to improve the way you give the perfect hug to a child or an adult.
In case you did not know, during a hug neurons emit "signals" (which have already scientifically proven health benefits), some of which include the hormone oxytocin which plays a very important role in heart rate, stress reduction, anxiety, thus making us feel better, more relaxed, and sleep better. ("Antisocial" people probably have not even opened this article, so we continue…)
- Tightening
A hug is more than a physical contact and to be realized perfectly it should not be given as a caress. When we hug during a hug ("bone squeezing") a kind of pressure is created for the protective receptors by sending a security signal to the nervous system, thus reducing anxiety after activating the nerve called "sympathetic" (yeah like you!)
"Does it matter how hard we hold someone when we hug?" According to an article from Toho University in Japan, the manner and level of tightening is very important, which was confirmed after a study with children. Some babies were hugged at different levels of tightness while measuring their calming effect. Holding the babies loosely calmed them down a bit, the tight grip became a nuisance for them, so they concluded that the best way is a medium hug and not for too long because it made them uncomfortable.
- Duration
As mentioned earlier, during the embrace, the hormone oxytocin is released, stimulating the opposite of stress, which according to studies helps prevent postpartum depression, helps in positive communication (less hassle for couples), lowers salivary cortisol levels in infants, having more little crying. In various non-scientific articles online, the hug should last 20 seconds, but in fact according to scientists who have conducted several studies with different people, time is not important because it can vary according to situations and emotional state, it is enough to last so much so that the other person feels relaxed and calmer.
- "Embrace" emotionally
Sometimes we do not even feel like embracing someone, but if you really want to give someone some of your energy to feel better, you have to "hug" them as much as possible emotionally, make them feel good with a hug. warm minded there and to the feelings you are exchanging, without any other distraction, at least for that moment.
Source: Forbes
