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Importance of Touch for Our Health

by Anjanee Sharma on Jan 30 2021 3:57 PM

Study shows that touch starvation can have debilitating on our physical and mental health.

Importance of  Touch for Our Health
Humans are hardwired with the need for physical contact. Embracing one another is considered natural and instinctive human behavior with several benefits to physical and mental health. //

It is needed now more than ever as the pandemic has led to social isolation, affecting many's mental health.

Benefits of Touch

It reduces feelings of loneliness. Our brain releases oxytocin (the cuddle hormone) when we touch others, which elevates feelings of intimacy and stimulates social bonding between two people.

It can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research shows that hugging someone releases dopamine (pleasure hormone), which is often associated with promoting feelings of happiness. People with mood disorders have low levels of dopamine, so that hugging might help them.

It can help protect against stress. A 2014 study of 404 healthy adults found that frequent hugs reduced people’s susceptibility to stress.

Science Behind Touch

Prof Francis McGlone, neuroscientist, says that touch is not a single sense. A set of nerve fibers, the C tactile afferents (CTs), exists purely to register gentle, stroking touch. He adds that these neurons transmit slow electrical signals to the brain's emotional processing parts and play a critical role in developing the social brain and our ability to withstand stress. He explained that these neurons' stimulation releases oxytocin and dopamine and directly impacts cortisol levels, thereby regulating our mood.

Interestingly enough, the highest density of CTs across our body is in the places we can’t reach ourselves, such as the shoulders and back.

Researchers have found that seeing touch, specifically social, affective, or pet touch – can vicariously give us some of the benefits of touch. Fotopoulou explains that since the brain codes multisensory experiences in multiple ways, we can ‘feel’ the pain and pleasures others experience just by ‘seeing’ them.

Touch Starvation

Dr. Katerina Fotopoulou, professor of psychodynamic neuroscience, explains that touch is a modulator that can change the effects of stress and pain, both physical and emotional, and a lack of touch is associated with greater anxiety. In times of high stress, having more touch from others helps us cope better by calming the cortisol effects (stress hormone). If we don’t get touched a lot, the need can feel very physical – described as “skin hunger” or “touch hunger”.

Research shows that starvation of hugs, high-fives, and close contact can lead to increased risk for depression, heightened anxiety, and decreased feelings of wellbeing.

Source-Medindia


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