Most people love a hug especially if they’re feeling sad, but did you know that in addition to providing comfort, hugs have surprising benefits for our physical health too, including alleviating pain? So, how exactly do hugs help with pain relief? Let’s take a closer look…
1. Hugs Promote the Release of Oxytocin
When you embrace someone, your body releases oxytocin—often referred to as the “love hormone” or “bonding hormone.” Oxytocin is known for promoting feelings of happiness and reducing stress. But it does more than just lift your mood. It also has a significant impact on your pain levels.
This is because oxytocin has a calming effect on the nervous system, which can help reduce the perception of pain. This can be particularly helpful for individuals dealing with chronic pain, such as back pain or muscle soreness. As such, the soothing properties of oxytocin can make a real difference in how you experience discomfort, thus helping to ease tension in the body.
2. Muscle Tension Relief
If you’ve ever felt your muscles tense up after a stressful day, you know how hard it can be to unwind. Hugs can help by encouraging relaxation. The physical pressure applied during a hug stimulates the body’s pressure receptors, which in turn activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the part of the nervous system responsible for rest and relaxation.
This relaxation response can help reduce muscle tension and prevent the build-up of knots or stiffness. For people recovering from physical exertion or injury, a hug’s gentle pressure offers a natural form of muscle release. By easing tight muscles, hugs allow the body to focus on healing and regeneration.
3. Improved Circulation
Effective circulation is essential for muscle recovery. After physical activity or injury, the body’s ability to send oxygen and nutrients to the affected muscles speeds up the healing process. Hugs, especially those that involve a firm but gentle embrace, can help stimulate blood flow. This is particularly beneficial for improving the healing process after an injury, promoting the transport of essential nutrients to damaged tissues and muscles.
With improved circulation, your muscles can recover faster and more efficiently, reducing soreness and stiffness.
4. Stress Relief and Muscle Recovery
Stress can be a major culprit in causing or worsening muscle pain. When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that increases tension in the muscles. Over time, chronic stress can contribute to ongoing pain and stiffness, especially in the neck, shoulders, and back. Hugs help counteract the effects of stress by reducing cortisol levels and increasing serotonin—another hormone that promotes relaxation and feelings of well-being.
By alleviating stress and reducing the physical tension that often accompanies it, hugs create an environment where muscle recovery can flourish.
5. Better sleep
When you hug someone, the oxytocin that is released as a result helps lower cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress. By reducing stress, you allow your body to relax more deeply, making it easier to unwind and prepare for sleep. Hugging can also help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “rest and digest” function in the body. This relaxation response can help slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, and ease muscle tension—all of which create the perfect conditions for a restful night’s sleep. In fact, adults who get frequent hugs sleep 21% better.
How to maximize the health benefits of a hug
Research suggests that we should aim for a hugs of 20 seconds or more to maximise the positive effects. This is because this length of time is enough to trigger the release of oxytocin, which is essential for all the health benefits outlined above.
So, the next time you feel a little tense or sore, consider wrapping yourself up in a great big hug.