More and more research is being done these days about the powerful effects of human touch, with study subjects ranging from newborns to NBA basketball players to sexually dysfunctional couples. And what researchers are finding is that touch is such a basic human need it should not be neglected. One scientist, Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, goes so far as to recommend getting some sort of touch experience for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day!
Whether by hug, massage, or a pat on the back, connecting physically with another person signals safety and trust; it’s so soothing that it can actually reduce stress and anxiety and lower blood pressure. That’s because touching releases two powerful natural hormones, oxytocin and serotonin. Known as the “love hormone” oxytocin (not to be confused with the pain-killer oxycontin) is thought to be connected to compassion, while serotonin increases feelings of pleasure or rewards.
Needless to say, intimate touching can also enhance your sex life. But it’s like everything else in our busy lives; if it’s not on our minds, we probably aren’t doing it as much as we should. Well, maybe it’s time to start.
Here are some suggestions:
The more you start doing things like this, the more natural it will feel. And before you know it, that hug will lead to a caress… and the caress will lead to a kiss… and the kiss will lead to who knows what!
But it all begins with that one little touch.
Dr. Barb DePree MD
Author