Today is National Hug Day and to be honest, any other year, I would probably quickly forget about it and move on… But this year, this feels different. A lot of us are touch-deprived, either living alone or with reduced social interaction, especially if working from home. And this is affecting our health.

Hugs have indeed many positive effects on both our mental and physical health: different studies demonstrate that hugging helps build a good immune system and can decrease our risk of heart disease, lower our blood pressure and trigger the release of healthy hormones. Hugs also increase our feelings of safety and of mattering/self-esteem.
So, it seems that if we want to feel better about ourselves, reduce our stress, and be happier and healthier, giving and asking for more hugs is a good place to start.

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How many hugs should we have every day for optimal health?
Virginia Satir, an author and family therapist, famously said: “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth”. Science is not that specific but most studies stipulate that we should have as many as possible if we want to reap the greatest benefits.

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How to Get More Hugs:
1. Ask others, and get a Hug Buddy – if you don’t have a partner or kids, ask a flatmate or someone in your support bubble if they’d be up for a daily hug (some studies show that 20-second hugs are highly beneficial).
2. Hug and/or sleep with your pet – I developed a special bond with my cat when my kids spent 3 months away during the first lockdown (got to admit I also developed a habit of talking to the cat, which the kids mock me about at every opportunity… so beware of the side effects!).
3. Hug Yourself – I recently wrote about a proverb we have in France that says: ‘You are never better served than by yourself’. So, give it a go: take your right arm and wrap it around your left shoulder. Take your left arm and wrap it around your right shoulder. Squeeze. While you’re there, rub your neck and shoulders. Release the pressure. How does that feel?

For more reading on this:
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-11528-017
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0898010108327213
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-54373924

And for more tips on managing your mental health or if you want to explore how coaching can help, get in touch here or send me an email at ck.insightscoaching@gmail.com.
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#resilience #nationalhugday #mentalhealth #selfcare #compassion