National Hugging Day

A hug not only gives you warmth in cold weather, it also helps you get a lot of health and emotional benefits. And January 21 every year, not a popular holiday but it is a national hug day, recognized by the United States Copyright Office.

Many studies show that when you hug or are hugged, the pituitary gland releases oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone". This hormone acts as a neurotransmitter in the limbic system, the emotional center of the brain, it brings about feelings of contentment and happiness. Oxytocin also increases feelings of connectedness and intimacy, making it easier for you to connect with others, especially your lover. Research shows that women who hug their partner regularly have higher levels of oxytocin, which helps their relationship last longer. Similarly, the mother holding her child is equally happy.

A study published in the journal Psychological Science found that hugging and physical touch reduced anxiety in people with low self-esteem. Even hugging an inanimate object like a teddy bear can help reduce anxiety. Just imagining a hug with someone you love, without a real hug, stimulates the brain to release serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, hormones that stimulate feelings of happiness.

When you hug and be hugged, it helps to lower circulating levels of cortisol, the stress hormone in the blood. Accordingly, both the person being hugged and the person hugging can reduce stress when they hug each other. When you hug, your brain releases a neurotransmitter called endorphin. This substance blocks pain stimulus signals, such as bradykinin peptide, while increasing blood circulation to soft tissues to help relieve pain. Patients with chronic pain are treated with hugs and caresses for pain relief and optimism.

People with depression and neurodegeneration have very low dopamine levels, so they feel sad all the time. Therefore, if you hug someone who is depressed or depressed, it will increase their joy. Hugging increases levels of dopamine, the happy hormone in the brain. A tight, warm hug will relax your muscles, helping to release tension in your mind. Hugging someone can be a simple way to shake off all your worries and fatigue. Hugging helps balance your nervous system through skin-to-skin contact. The skin contains a network of pressure sensors called Pacinian corpuscles. It connects to the brain through nerves. When hugged, these sensors are activated, helping to increase the moisture and conductivity of the skin, helping the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems to be balanced, making your psychophysiology stable.

According to one study, scientists divided 100 couples into two groups. The first group was asked to hold hands and sit for 10 minutes, then give each other a hug that lasted 20 seconds. The second group was asked to just sit next to each other doing nothing the whole time. The researchers found that the blood pressure and heart rate of the first group were both lower than that of the second group. This is the benefit of hugging, which helps protect them from cardiovascular disease.

And that's why, National Hugging Day is organized to encourage and encourage people to express their feelings through hugs to gain emotional and health benefits.

The Origin of National Hugging Day

Kevin Zabyers is said to be the father of this national hug day. In 1986, Kevin Zabyers came up with the idea of National Hugging Day, to encourage people to hug family and loved ones more. Zabyers thought his idea would fail because Americans were embarrassed to show affection in public. On January 21, 1986, the first national hug day was held in Clio, Michigan, USA.

Observing the National Hugging Day

To celebrate national hug day, there is no other activity than giving intimate hugs to your family, friends, and loved ones to receive the emotional and health benefits that hugs bring again. Or with strangers, you want to give them an encouraging hug, consult them before hugging to make sure they are comfortable with it. Besides, please send words of encouragement to your loved one with a message of warm hugs. Share them on social media with the hashtag #NationalHuggingDay. Wishing you an amazing National Hugging Day.