I attend our local hot yoga studio,
Hot Yoga University, as well as follow them on facebook. A couple of weeks ago Karin shared a post on hugs, I loved it, so I thought I'd share it with you.
Hugs
We need 4 hugs a day for survival.
We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance.
We need 12 hugs a day for growth.
Here's Why
1. The nurturing touch of a hug builds trust and a sense of
safety. This helps with open and honest communication.
2. Hugs can instantly boost oxytocin levels, which heal feelings of loneliness,
isolation, and anger.
3. Holding a hug for an extended time lifts one's
serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.
4. Hugs strengthen the immune system. The gentle
pressure on the sternum and the emotional charge this creates activates the
Solar Plexus Chakra. This stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and
balances the body's production of white blood cells, which keep you healthy and
disease free.
5. Hugging boosts self-esteem. From the time we're
born our family's touch shows us that we're loved and special. The associations
of self-worth and tactile sensations from our early years are still embedded in
our nervous system as adults. The cuddles we received from our Mom and Dad
while growing up remain imprinted at a cellular level, and hugs remind us at a
somatic level of that. Hugs, therefore, connect us to our ability to self love.
6. Hugging relaxes muscles. Hugs release tension in
the body. Hugs can take away pain; they soothe aches by increasing circulation
into the soft tissues.
7. Hugs balance out the nervous system. The
galvanic skin response of someone receiving and giving a hug shows a change in
skin conductance. The effect in moisture and electricity in the skin suggests a
more balanced state in the nervous system - parasympathetic.
8. Hugs teach us how to give and receive. There is
equal value in receiving and being receptive to warmth, as to giving and
sharing. Hugs educate us how love flows both ways.
9. Hugs are so much like meditation and laughter.
They teach us to let go and be present in the moment. They encourage us to flow
with the energy of life. Hugs get you out of your circular thinking patterns
and connect you with your heart and your feelings and your breath.
10. The energy exchange between the people hugging
is an investment in the relationship. It encourages empathy and understanding.
And, it's synergistic, which means the whole is more than the sum of its parts:
1 1 = 3 or more! This synergy is more likely to result in win-win outcomes.
Hug someone
today and see for yourself!
