Robert W. Hatfield says that:
"affectionate touch is vital for all human ages".
Just what do
we need human touch for?
While you
might not notice the effects of not being touched right away, it can negatively
affect your mood, your confidence and
your health.
Here are 6
reasons why you need to be touched on a regular basis.
1.
Feel connected to others.
We
are social beings, and although we all fall in different places on the
introversion – extroversion scale, we all need to have that sense of connection
to other members of our tribe. While some of that connection can come from
having conversations with others, touch also plays an important role in human
communication.
2.
Reduce anxiety.
Simply touching another person can make us
feel more secure and less anxious. It can make us feel grounded and safe and
not so all alone. It’s not just children who could use a warm, reassuring hug
to make things a little better, so if you’re feeling like a bundle of nerves,
go ahead and ask for a hug.
3.
Bonding.
Touch
is one of the ways romantic partners bond with each other and parents bond with
their children. When partners and families get busy and let touch go out the
window, they’ll often find that they don’t feel as close and relationships
suffer. Regular touch is one of the ways that we continually renew our bonds
with those we love.
4.
Lowers your blood pressure.
Studies
have shown that those that get regular touch often have lower blood pressure
than those that don’t. Even having a pet can have beneficial effects! Touch can
also slow the heart rate and help speed recovery times from illness and
surgery.
5.
Improve your outlook.
It’s harder to get into a pessimistic funk
when you feel the confidence of being connected to others. Touch can make
people feel more optimistic and positive and less cynical and suspicious. A
positive, trusting attitude towards others can reduce tension in our daily
lives and improve our relationships.
6.
Give us the sensory input that we
crave.
Scientists
are just discovering how truly important it is to exercise all our physical
senses for proper brain and emotional development. All the various kinds of
touch from butterfly kisses to deep tissue massage send our brains the physical
inputs it needs to make sense of the world. So, along with touching other
people and pets, make time to explore different textures and touch sensations
such as letting cool sand run through your fingers or taking a warm relaxing
bath.
Don’t let
yourself get too busy that you starve yourself of touch.
It’s important for your physical, mental and
emotional well being to touch others and let others touch you.
