MBOMBELA – Did you know today is the National Hug Day or National Hugging Day?
A hug is a form of physical intimacy, not necessarily sexual, that usually involves closing or holding the arms around the neck or waist of another person.
Hugging therapy is definitely a powerful way of healing. Research shows that hugging (and also laughter) is extremely effective at healing sickness, disease, loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress.
According to Wikipedia,National Hug Day or National Hugging Day is an annual event created by Kevin Zaborney from USA. The idea of National Hug Day is to encourage everyone to hug family and friends more often.
The day was launched on January 21, 1986 in Clio, Michigan, USA.There are reports of it being marked in some other countries.
Research shows a proper deep hug, where the hearts are pressing together, can benefit you in the following ways:
1.The nurturing touch of a hug builds trust and a sense of safety.This helps with open and honest communication.
2.Hugs can instantly boost oxytocin levels, which heal feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anger.
3.Holding a hug for an extended time lifts one’s serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.
4.Hugs strengthen the immune system. The gentle pressure on the sternum and the emotional charge this creates activates the Solar Plexus Chakra. This stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body’s production of white blood cells, which keep you healthy and disease free.
5.Hugging boosts self esteem.
6.Hugging relaxes muscles, release tension in the body, can take away pain and they soothe aches by increasing circulation into the soft tissues.
7.Hugs balance out the nervous system. The galvanic skin response of someone receiving and giving a hug shows a change in skin conductance. The effect in moisture and electricity in the skin suggests a more balanced state in the nervous system – parasympathetic.
8.Hugs teach us how to give and receive. There is equal value in receiving and being receptive to warmth, as to giving and sharing. Hugs educate us how love flows both ways.
9.Hugs are so much like meditation and laughter. They teach us to let go and be present in the moment. They encourage us to flow with the energy of life. Hugs get you out of your circular thinking patterns and connect you with your heart and your feelings and your breath.
10.The energy exchange between the people hugging is an investment in the relationship. It encourages empathy and understanding. And, it’s synergistic, which means the whole is more than the sum of its parts: Information from https://www.mindbodygreen.com
