A recent study by Carnegie Mellon University showed that feeling close to others, particularly through the sense of touch (such as from a hug), helps protect against stress-related diseases. People who had a high sense of connection had more hugs and less conflict, and when faced with exposure to an infection they developed less severe symptoms. People who felt less socially connected suffered more physically. Researchers in Sweden found that even in high-stress occupations, stress- related illnesses could be reduced by social connectedness. And researchers at UCLA have shown that the stress-reducing effects of such connectedness occur whether you give the love or get it.
In addition to protecting against illness, hugs boost your happiness. Physical contact with someone you care about reduces anxiety levels, lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), and encourages the brain to produce oxytocin and dopamine, feel-good neurotransmitters that help lift your mood. Researchers have even concluded that the optimum hug is at least twenty seconds long. Researchers have also found that hugging your pet has similar effects, so even if you live alone, you can get your daily dose of hugging from Fido.