Power Hug: 9 Benefits of Hugging That Everyone Should Know About

It’s a cliché when people say the best things in life are free. True enough though: smiles, laughter, love, kisses, friends, family & hugs. You don’t need to buy them at the store.. you have them right before your very eyes.

Hugs could be one of the most reassuring, comforting, and soothing body languages ever made.  It is a therapy — a powerful way of healing. It benefits both the hugger and the receiver of a hug.

The video showing people randomly asking for free hugs probably would like to send us a message that despite everything that is happening to the world right now, we can still find comfort and solace from others.

According to Itin Lachica Umali, a child, family, and relationship expert, “a hug is a form of social support“.

Let’s find out some of the benefits of hugging:

1. A hug gives a sense of security and safety. “The reason why babies,” says Umali, “like being cuddled by their parents”.

2. A hug instantly boosts oxytocin level or ‘love hormones’ and lowers cortisol which means a hug can heal feelings of loneliness and depression. Have you ever noticed when you and a loved one had an argument, how one simple hug can ease the tension up, and finally give way to making amends? It makes us feel loved thus takes the anger away.

3. A hug can boost one’s confidence and self-esteem.  When we’re unsure, or when we’re afraid about doing something, a pat on the shoulder, a small hug, can give us the encouragement we need to make us believe we can do it!

4. A hug creates a feeling of happiness. Friends. Lovers. Mothers and Sons. Fathers and Daughters. Even strangers. A hug is a powerful tool to make someone happy.

5. A hug can keep you healthy and disease free. A hug strengthens the immune system.

6. A hug relaxes the muscle. A small hug can release tension from our body. It can soothe ache by increasing circulation into the soft tissues.

7. A hug balances out the nervous system. “The effect in moisture and electricity in the skin suggests a more balanced state in the nervous system – parasympathetic,” says Marcus Julian Felicetti.

8. Hugs teach us the value of giving and receiving. When we hug a person to show empathy, they tend to hug us back, and this is to show us that they appreciate the comfort we offer to them. Such simple act can sincerely touch a soul.

9. Just like laughter, hugs can make us connect to our feelings, our heart, our breath. They teach us to let go and be present in the moment. They encourage us to flow with the energy of life.

Now that we know what hugging can do, let’s share the word and extend our arms more often to wrap around someone.  And always remember, as the respected Family therapist, Virginia Satir said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.”