Fun facts about hugging

• happinessweekly
• 4 years ago
• Categories: Uncategorized
• Tags: accept, acceptance, accepting, accomplish, accomplishment, achieve, achievement, belief, beliefs, better, challenge, challenge yourself, challenges, change, changes, changing, charity, cuddles, cuddling, decision, decision making, decisions, development, Drew Barrymore, emotion, emotional, emotions, endorphin, endorphins, energy, enhance, excuse, excuses, exercise, express, expression, facts about hugging, facts about hugs, family, feelings are a decision, friend, friends, fun facts about hugging, fun facts about hugs, goal, goals, gracious, grateful, gratitude, grow, growing, happier, happiest, happiness, happiness is a choice, happiness weekly, happy, hints, hobby, hormone, hormones, how to, hug, hug facts, hugging, Hugging facts, hugging love, hugging releases endorphins, hugs release endorphins, improve your life, improvement, improvements, inspirational, inspire, inspired, inspiring, interesting facts about hugging, interesting facts about hugs, learn, learning, long hugs strengthen the bond, lover, lovers, motivate, motivated, motivating, motivational, National Hug Day, opportunity, passion, passionate, peace, perception, personal development, positive, positive thinking, positivity, responsibility, responsible, Sarah, Sarah Webb, scientific facts about hugging, scientific facts about hugs, self development, self-satisfaction, self-talk, situation, stress, Sydney, Sydney Australia, tactics, take responsibility, thankful, the benefits of hugging, thinking, tips, tricks, value, values, Webb, weekly

I love hugging.  I wish I was an octopus, so I could hug ten people at a time.  Drew Barrymore

In celebration of National Hugging Day on Monday, 21 January 2012 – Happiness Weekly is looking at some fun facts about hugging and all the benefits that come with it. Don’t forget you can celebrate National Hugging Day, a day dedicated to expressing your emotions in public, by giving someone a hug.

The benefits of hugging

– More upbeat moods

– Reduce heart rates

– Lower blood pressure

– Increase nerve activity

– Reduce levels of cortisol (stress hormone) if they are over 20 seconds long

– Increase levels of oxytocin (bonding hormone)

– Boosts the immune system

– Builds self esteem

– Alleviates tension and releases endorphins

– It’s portable and it doesn’t cost a thing!

Hugging facts

* Cuddling increases feelings of safety, security, trust, strength, healing, self worth, belonging, happiness and appreciation

* A hug encourages bonding by increasing the levels of oxytocin in the body

* Studies show that IQ development is delayed in children who don’t receive hugs. Those that lack hugs start walking, talking and reading later

* According to a survey taken in America, marriages where hugging or touching are present, last longer than those without

* A brief hug with a romantic partner is equivalent to 10 minutes of handholding and greatly reduces stress

* Psychologist Karen Grewen found that both males and females gain higher levels of oxytocin (bonding hormone) after a hug

* People crave 13 hugs a day – but most don’t receive this many😦

* A hug normally lasts 9.5 seconds

* On average, people spend an hour a month, hugging

* As hugging increases oxytocin and reduces cortisol – it leads us to a healthy heart and lower blood pressure (good for those with hypertension)

* Hugs also lower our heart rate, promoting a calming effect

* Full body hugs stimulate the nervous system

* It decreases the feeling of loneliness, helps up combat fear, increases self-esteem, affirms relationships, defuses tension and shows appreciation.

How does hugging make you feel? How often do you hug someone? How often does someone hug you?