RESEARCH How hugs affect individual health

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - A team of scientists from the University of North Carolina in the USA decided to conduct research on how hugs affect individuals and their health.

The subjects were women aged 20 to 49 who had been in a romantic relationship with a partner for at least half a year. First, they, along with their partners, filled out questionnaires about how often they hug and hold hands.

After that, each couple had a short romantic encounter – they watched a romantic video and at the end talked and hugged. Then, the women were separated from the men and faced a stressful situation – they had to prepare and record a speech about an event that had upset them recently. Before, during, and after each phase, their oxytocin levels, blood pressure, and heart rate were measured. These measurements showed that higher oxytocin levels, lower blood pressure, and calmer heart rates were present before the phase of intimate and close contact with the partner – due to anticipation and excitement.

Women who hugged their partners more often in the relationship generally had higher oxytocin levels, and researchers found that it is precisely this hormone that is a crucial link between hugs and lower blood pressure.

High blood pressure is key in the development of cardiovascular diseases, and these results can help us explain that people with emotional support from their partners have a lower risk of developing these diseases. People who lack this hormone smile less, are often lonely, and prefer to work independently rather than in a team. Also, women who lack this hormone have problems achieving orgasms, and men have difficulty establishing deep loving relationships, reports Večernji list.

In addition, oxytocin reduces the level of cortisol, the stress hormone.