The Vital Importance of Human Touch
From Pyschology Today :
'The need for human touch is one of our most basic, primal needs.
Touch deprivation is correlated with negative health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and immune system disorders.
Ways to address touch deprivation include massage therapy, pets, and weighted blankets.
research has uncovered an astonishing number of poor health outcomes that result when we are deprived of touch. The correlation between anxiety, depression and stress and touch is large and inversely related. It has been found that touch calms our nervous center and slows down our heartbeat. Human touch also lowers blood pressure as well as cortisol, our stress hormone. It also triggers the release of oxytocin, a hormone known for promoting emotional bonding to others.'