I’m a hugger. I love a good cuddle, and I love giving friends & family a hug when I see them. And for good reason...if you come from a hug happy background, it’s likely you’re literally hard-wired to like them.
People who grow up hugging have more developed vagus nerves (that’s a nerve bundle in your lower spine which is involved in managing the ‘rest & recover’ parasympathetic nervous system), and establish a stronger connection in their brains between hugs and release of oxytocin (a hormone which helps us form bonds & feel ).
We know this because of research like one study in 2014 which looked at Romanian orphans who’d had far less contact or loving interaction than the average child. Their vagus nerves and oxytocin release were stunted as a result. Which is really sad when you think about it (and why I’m a big fan of the concept of adoption).
Hugs are also pretty decent for a bunch of other reasons too...they make us happy, help ease fear and anxiety and assist with feeling more chilled at the end of a busy day (via parasympathetic nervous system activation)...they’ve even been shown to boost your immune system (probably because the adaptive immune system meets more challenges when we make contact, which helps to make it more effective overall).
Some people simply aren’t huggers though. Self-confidence, social anxiety & other pressures can influence this, alongside upbringing and natural disposition. So, no judgement hug-happy peeps! Try a fist bump instead, apparently it’s the most hygienic and least invasive way of greeting someone by touch
What’s your thoughts on this? Do you even hug, bro? Or are you more of a fist bump fan?
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