Hug Your Sweetheart Day

August 23 is a very good holiday - “Hug Your Loved One” Day. This is a great opportunity to remember why we fell in love with the person next to us. If a dark streak has come in life and everything seems too gloomy, then it is enough to feel the warmth of an embrace to make it a little easier. Why can such a simple action give a person peace of mind and happiness? Hugs really calm down and help express those feelings that you can't express in your words. Psychologists are convinced that without touch a person begins to wither, like a plant without water. His mood deteriorates, irritability increases, and depression may even set in. The origins of this need for hugs should be sought in infancy. Researchers have found that babies who are left without parents begin to rock in the cradle on their own, trying to compensate for the lack of mother's touch. Psychologists believe that tactile contact gives the baby a sense of security. It signals that all is well with him and with the rest of the world. Scientists have found that when hugging, a person begins to produce the neuropeptide oxytocin. This peptide hormone is considered “female” because it determines maternal behavior, but another interesting fact was recently established. Oxytocin gives a feeling of peace and reduces anxiety. It turned out that, along with estradiol and testosterone, it is one of the three most important human hormones, as it regulates social activity and even contributes to the formation and maintenance of friendships. It turns out that during a hug a person not only calms down, but also tunes in to strengthen the relationship. Oxytocin deficiency stimulates the development of fears. A person in a depressed state begins to fear being rejected by society, being left alone. Such a reaction once again proves that we are social creatures and need other people. American scientists have proven that frequent hugs help protect the cardiovascular system. They conducted an experiment on two groups of volunteers. The former hugged their loved ones often, while the latter kept tactile contact to a minimum. After that, they began to communicate with loved ones and during the conversation they talked about the latest event that caused negative emotions. It turned out that people who hugged reacted less strongly to unpleasant memories. Those who limited themselves in touching were irritable and nervous, and because of the negativity they began to experience tachycardia. Hugs can boost immunity, reduce stress levels, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and normalize sleep. This is a natural antidepressant that is available to everyone. During a hug, an empathic connection with a person is established, a moment of emotional intimacy comes when people do not need words to understand each other. For many years now, in different parts of the world, activists of the Free Hugs Campaign have been holding events during which they take to the streets and simply offer passers-by a hug. It all started back in 2004 at Sydney airport, where Australian Juan Mann arrived after many years of wandering. A pleasant bustle reigned in the hall, where a crowd of happy passengers had gathered. Those greeting them hugged their friends and family, smiles never left their faces. Watching this picture, Juan felt his loneliness even more acutely. He was away from home for so long, and when he returned, no one was waiting for him here, there was not even anyone to hug with. And then a thought occurred to the man, he found a piece of cardboard somewhere, on which he wrote “Free Hugs” with a marker, and then went outside. At first, people passed him by, mistaking him for an ordinary eccentric, but a woman approached Mann and said that exactly a year ago her daughter died, and the day before she was left completely alone, having lost her beloved dog. Mann and the stranger hugged tightly. It was this moment that can be considered the starting point for the Free Hugs Campaign movement, which two years later became widespread. The healing properties of hugs are amazing, so hug your loved ones more often to lift the spirits of others and get rid of melancholy yourself.