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Before we see or hear -

Touch is the first sense we use to send information to our brains before we’re born.

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It’s all over us -

The skin is the biggest organ in the human body. In an adult, it covers an average of 22 square feet (2 square meters)!

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Animals also do it -

Primates groom each other, and they don’t do it just to stay clean. They do so to help each other calm down, deal with threats, and form alliances.

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Animals also do it -

Some species can spend up to 20% of their day doing this. It just goes to show how important touch is for some species. And guess what? Humans are no different.

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Why we touch -

Touch has a wide range of functions for us, including conveying emotion. Hugs and kisses, anyone?

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Why we touch -

Touch can help us calm down from stress arousal, for instance. It can have a pacifying effect that words can’t match.

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It calms us down -

In fact, touch is so powerful that it can actually reduce blood pressure and decrease your heart rate.

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Touch boosts the immune system -

Research shows that hugs can boost our immune system and decrease disease.

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Touch enhances trust -

Touch enhances trust between people, including strangers. Studies show that waiters earn better tips when they touch their clients (e.g. a light pat on the shoulder or the arm).

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Couples -

Couples feel closer and more assured when they touch each other more frequently.

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Why touch is so powerful -

Touching triggers the release of oxytocin. Known as the hormone of love and attachment, oxytocin makes us feel connected and loved, and helps us bond as humans.

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Oxytocin -

This powerful hormone is an integral part of our life and plays a big role in how good we feel.

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It’s extremely important for our development -

The importance of touch in development has been studied in depth. Many systems in the brain are activated by touch, and children who grow up deprived of touch will not have an optimal physiological development.

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We really need touch as children -

Lack of touch influences brain development and can lead to emotional disturbances that will last a lifetime.

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Less touch can increase violence -

The lack of the mother-child bonding can result in, among many other psychological disturbances, a more aggressive behavior.

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Touch can make a big difference -

Research at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health has found that getting eye contact and a pat on the back from a doctor may boost survival rates of patients with complex diseases.

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Economic benefits to physical touch -

Touch can promote trust and generosity.  According to a study by psychologist Robert Kurzban, people who are touched are more likely to cooperate and share.

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It might help students engage more -

An experiment was conducted where students were, and were not, briefly touched on the forearm by a teacher during an exercise. After that, the teacher asked the students to demonstrate the exercise on the blackboard. Those who were touched volunteered more.

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Touch differs according to culture -

The amount of times friends touch each other during an interaction differs, depending on cultural factors.

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Study -

A study looked at the frequency and duration of touch among basketball team members in the NBA (e.g. high fives, chest bumps, hugs, etc.).

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Study -

But they also collected data on cooperative behaviors, including talking to each other, gesturing, passing, etc.

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Touch improves performance -

They found that: “Consistent with hypotheses, early season touch predicted greater performance for individuals as well as teams later in the season. Additional analyses confirmed that touch predicted improved performance even after accounting for player status, preseason expectations, and early season performance. Moreover, coded cooperative behaviors between teammates explained the association between touch and team performance.”

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The power to touch -

The therapeutic effect of touch has been known for millennia. Massages have been around for centuries in many different cultures.

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Ancient therapy -

Greek physician Hippocrates said that “the physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly also in rubbing.”

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Touch has been associated with healing for centuries -

Christianity has many examples of how touch healed. Laying on of hands was associated with healing the sick (Luke 4:40).

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It was an essential part of medical care -

Nurses would learn about massages as part of the curriculum in 1883. John Harvey Kellogg, medical director at a sanitarium, wrote a manual about it.

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Professionals -

From massage therapists to physical therapists and chiropractors, people are now looking for other forms to be touched, and are reaping the benefits.

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Why don’t doctors prescribe it? -

From a decrease in negative symptoms (including pain) to faster recovery, research has shown positive results in hospital patients receiving massages.

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What to do when you can't touch anyone? -

Many of us are in lockdown due to the pandemic, and many of us live on our own. So, what to do? Well, if you have a pet, you're already winning. Touching an animal has the similar effect of touching a human when it comes to hormonal response.

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Self hugging -

Hug yourself. Seriously! Or try some meditations that will guide you through it. You can really benefit from the sensation of hugging.

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Weighted blanket -

Order one online and try it. The extra weight will calm you down and make you feel like you're cuddling with someone.

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Drink herbal tea -

Brew yourself some herbal tea. Herbs such as chamomile have a calming effect and can make you feel warm and relaxed.

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Care for a plant -

The act of caring for something can be very comforting. What's more, touching your plant can help you feel more connected.

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Warm bath -

There's nothing like soaking in hot water to give yourself a comforting experience.

See also: The science behind falling in love

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