Hugs are crucial for physical and mental health, study confirms

Thursday 11 April 2024 - 12:25

A study published this Monday in the journal Nature Human Behaviour has confirmed the importance of hugs for the physical and mental health of humans. And according to researchers, there is not necessarily a need for another person to benefit from these benefits.

The research was conducted by scientists from the Dutch Institute of Neuroscience and a German university hospital. They based their work on 212 studies on the subject, involving nearly 13,000 adult, child, and baby participants, reports Ouest France.

The study demonstrates that physical contact significantly improves a person's mental health. Knowing or not knowing the person giving the hug has no impact on its benefits. However, early contact with maternal skin and scent helps newborns better adapt to their environment and promotes weight gain.

The duration of the hug does not matter, according to researchers. On the other hand, the frequency of contact is essential. Intense contact with objects, such as a robot or a weighted blanket, has a similar effect to a human hug. The exception is in cases of mental disorders, where human contact offers more benefits to the patient.

Researchers had already noticed that during Covid-19-related lockdowns, the deprivation of physical contact strongly impacted the mental health of populations worldwide. However, gender and cultural variables exist. Thus, women are considered more "beneficial" for these hugs, according to the study.