Can the Power of Touch Help You Relax?

A study was conducted with couples to see the effect of touch on how they reacted to pain.  They were either touching hands, sitting next to each other and not touching, or separated into different rooms.  The couples that were holding hands found that when subjected to slight pain they were able to relax better than the ones that were not touching or in the same room.  The study also found that if you have a pat on the back it may lower your blood pressure, improve your overall outlook and your brain seems to get better at concentration.

Some people that are afraid to fly find it reassuring to have someone there holding their hand to keep them calm.  Researchers have found that if a newborn is held and touched, they have a higher rate of weight gain than the ones left on their own.  Calming from touch doesn’t necessarily have to be from a person, you can also get the same sensation from putting on a warm blanket or comfy bathrobe.  Touch has the ability to help you recover from an illness and keep you from being afraid.

Since your skin is the largest organ on your body it is able to be stimulated by its sensory receptors.  The hormone oxytocin is the one that makes you feel good and it is released when touched.  While the stress hormone cortisol is lessened.

Now that we have been doing more virtual interaction the action of touch is more precious than ever.