The Surprising Health Benefits of Cuddling

By Rachel Grumman Bender

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Let’s hug it out! Men, women, and even chimps like to cuddle. So much, in fact, that we’ll use apps to find cuddle partners, join cuddle parties, turn to professional cuddlers (yes, such a thing exists) to fill the hugging void, or even buy a special mattress or pillow just to make cuddling a cozier experience.

It’s no wonder we love cuddling so much: “Touching and hugging enhance our mood and make us feel protected and safe,” says Manhattan-based relationship expert Elyse Goldstein, Ph.D. That’s all the more reason to fire up Netflix and curl up with your sweetie.

And don’t feel left out if you’re single. Studies show mutual hugging benefits can happen with friends, parents, even babies and pets Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman N, Dowswell T. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 May 16;5:CD003519 Neurophysiological correlates of affiliative behaviour between humans and dogs. Odendaal JS, Meintjes RA. The Veterinary Journal. 2003 May;165(3):296-301..

Here, we list all of the science-backed reasons to pursue premium cuddles.

1. It can give your immune system a boost.

You already know that when you’re stressed out, you’re more vulnerable to catching a cold or even the flu. But social support, including frequent hugs, protects stressed people from getting sick. And if they do become ill, their symptoms are less severe, according to research published in the journal Psychological Science.

If you can’t cuddle with a friend or significant other, you can always hit the spa: A single, 45-minute massage session not only melts those knotted muscles in your back but also is a boon for your immune system, according to a recent study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

2. It helps you face your fears.

Feeling vulnerable or afraid? Hold someone’s hand. When married women participating in a study were told they might receive a mild shock, their anxiety levels understandably skyrocketed. But their fear dialed back down as soon as they held hands with one of the male experimenters, and especially when they held hands with their husbands.

3. It can save your relationship.

Along with its close cousin caressing, frequent cuddling is essential for long-term relationship satisfaction, according to an international study that looked at relationship happiness and sexual fulfillment in committed couples Individual and Partner Correlates of Sexual Satisfaction and Relationship Happiness in Midlife Couples: Dyadic Analysis of the International Survey of Relationships. Fisher WA, Donahue KL, Long JS, Heiman …read more

Source:: Greatist