NEW RESEARCH CONFIRMS THE TRANSFORMATIVE EFFECT OF TOUCH ON HEALTH
A major new study has confirmed that touch significantly benefits both physical and mental health, with particular advantages for people facing health challenges. Researchers conducted a review of 212 studies, involving a total of 13,000 people, to explore the health benefits of touch.
The findings demonstrate that the nature of the touch, the person providing it, or the duration matters less than the frequency, suggesting even brief interactions like hugs can be profoundly impactful.
Furthermore, while touch can improve physical well-being it appears essential for alleviating mental health conditions, underscoring the emotional component of touch. The research also highlights the enhanced benefits of parental touch for newborns, emphasising its potential to support infant health in critical care situations.Â
Scientists from the Social Brain Lab at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and the University Hospital Essen found that, interestingly, the person touching you, and the duration of their touch doesn’t make a difference in terms of impact. A long-lasting massage by a therapist could therefore be just as effective as a quick hug offered by a friend.
That is, until the frequency of the intervention is considered. The more often a touch intervention is offered, the greater the impact. A quick hug could therefore be even more impactful than a massage if it is offered more frequently.
“These benefits were robustly present, promoting the conclusion that touch interventions can be systematically employed across the population to preserve and improve our health,” the researchers write.Â
For anyone who is sceptical of healing, this report is essential reading!
(The study is published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.)