A hug is just what the doctor ordered on any occasion. Just got given good news? Hug in celebration. Had a long, stressful day? A hug will relax and uplift you. Can’t put into words how much someone means to you? A hug says it all.
This isn’t just anecdotal. There’s science behind why hugging is so good for us and how we can get more out of it.
Why join Team Hugs?
Hugging is nature’s medicine. You see a lot of monkeys and apes comb through each other’s fur as a bonding experience. Humans hugging is likely an evolution of this. We’re social creatures who thrive when we have strong relationships with others. That’s why good hormones like oxytocin are released when we hug people.
These good hormones have such a powerful effect that one study found that women who hugged their partner before a stressful experience released less cortisol, the stress hormone, in their system. On top of that, another study found that regular hugs helped fight off colds. We have a powerful biological response to hugging!
How to get the most out of hugging
If you’re anything like me, you’re curious what the science says about how much you should hug and for how long. How do we use this natural stress relief and mood booster?
There’s a study on that. If hugs are too short, you lose the benefits. You’ve got to go for 5-10 seconds to let the good feeling settle in. Have you heard that quote from family therapist Virginia Satir, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” While there isn’t anything concrete behind this, there is a study suggesting that hugging one to three different people a day gives you the best benefits. The more the merrier, I think!
The long-distance hug
Nothing can replace a warm embrace, but it’s not always possible, especially if you don’t see your loved ones every day or they’ve got a busy schedule. But we can use art to remind people of us, our love and evoke the memories and feelings of a good hug.
My “Hugs” sculptures represent the movement and sensation of a hug. I initially came up with the idea during the pandemic when we couldn’t hug as much as we wanted to. It’s still a popular gift because we’d all like to hug our loved ones a little more.
Browse the different color variations online HERE. As each one is handmade, they’re all unique. Choose the one-of-a-kind hug that speaks to your heart at ALG Fine Art, a gallery in the Dallas Design District.
