Conclusion
It turns out that hugs can help relieve illness, stress and depression.
In the study presented here, a very bold experiment was conducted totest the effects of hugs.The subjects were intentionally exposed tothe cold virus.(This was done with the subject's consent, ofcourse.)The results confirmed that hugs have the effect of preventing peoplefrom getting sick and reducing their symptoms even when they do getsick.
Tips for practicing this technique
The research team chose the hug as the subject of their study becauseit is a typical sign of having a more intimate relationship withanother person.So, the key here is whether or not you have a close relationship withsomeone.An intimate person, for example, is someone who can help you whenyou're in trouble.Having those people around you gives you peace of mind without thefeeling of loneliness.That leads to improvement of immunity.Inaddition, if you try something new, you will perform better if youknow in advance who you will ask for help in case of trouble, forexample.
Always try to behave in a way that allows you to have many suchrelationships.
Introduction of the research
| Publication medium | the Association for Psychological Science |
|---|---|
| Year the study was published | 2014 |
| Quote source | Cohen et al., 2014 |
Research Method
In general, the following are known.
- People who have been in conflict with others for some time are lessable to fight off the cold virus.
- People who have people to help them in times of trouble are relativelymore resistant to mental stress such as depression and anxiety.
So, to see if they could be scientifically proven, the researchersconducted an experiment from two perspectives:.
- Whether recognizing that you have someone to support you improves yourimmunity.
- Whether hugs can boost your immunity.
The procedure for the experiment is as follows.
- The study surveyed 404 healthy adults about how often they get helpfrom others, how often they hug and how often they conflict withothers.
- The participants were then exposed to the cold virus in thelaboratory.(Participants agreed to the experiment for $1000.)
- Participants were quarantined to determine whether they had a cold andhow severe their symptoms were.
Research Result
It turns out that people who hug a lot or feel they have a lot ofsocial support are less likely to catch a cold in the firstplace.Also, those people had mild symptoms even if they caught acold.
My view on this research
This time, I introduced a study that shows that having someone to giveyou hugs or social supports can help you become more resistant toillness and stress.Actually, you can not only take it from someone butyou can also give it for someone.The study doesn't reveal whether theimmune effects of hugs are caused by the act itself or by having suchrelationships.But either way, it is certain that those who get a lotof hugs will have better immunity.Please give lots of hugs and socialsupports to those who are around you.
