Consensual physical contact, beneficial for your health 1:57
(CNN) --
You have an important test, a difficult conversation or a stressful day ahead, how would receiving a hug from your partner impact your state of mind?
A hug can make all the difference for women, according to a new study.
Unfortunately, the effect is not as powerful when it comes to men.
Hugs can help before you're faced with a stressful situation, but they won't always go down well, experts say.
Researchers analyzed the response of 76 people to stress after receiving a hug from their partner in a study published Wednesday in the academic journal PLOS One. Women who hugged their partner showed lower production of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, compared to those who did not receive a hug.
Cortisol can impact memory, which can make the stressful task at hand even more difficult, said study lead author Julian Packheiser, a postdoctoral researcher at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience.
Men don't seem to have the same benefits, according to the study.
The study had a small sample size but was skilfully conducted and adds to a body of previous research, said Kory Floyd, a professor of communication at the University of Arizona.
Floyd was not part of the study.
advertising
De-stress with this short yoga routine 6:43
Not surprisingly, touch helps regulate the body, Packheiser said.
Showing affection to someone you love releases a neurotransmitter called oxytocin, often called the "love hormone," which lowers cortisol levels.
This response, in conjunction with social support, protects against stress, according to the study.
And other studies have investigated the benefits of prolonged contact, such as receiving a massage, on the physical responses to stress of the endocrine system, which regulates the release of hormones, and the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the rapid “fight or fight” response. escape” from stressful situations.
But this particular investigation offers scientific evidence of a more satisfying and immediate option.
Getting a massage is not always a viable option.
"A hug, on the other hand, is a quick fix that can help combat future causes of stress," she wrote in an email.
Now that some of the restrictions of the pandemic have been left behind, in many parts of the world, it is beneficial to know that we have another tool to help us defend ourselves against the things that stress us in the world, he added.
15 minutes of mental hygiene can completely transform your day
Why don't cortisol levels in men decrease?
The researchers acknowledge that it is difficult to explain.
It could be a social factor, where a lot of men don't feel as good about receiving hugs because they're perceived as unusual or socially awkward, Packheiser said.
It might also have to do with biological differences in touch receptors between men and women, she added.
The difference in results was unexpected and is not necessarily the final conclusion of the matter, he said.
"Just because we didn't find the effect in men doesn't mean it's not there," Packheiser wrote in an email. "The effect could simply be minor and may not have been detected."
protect with affection
"A simple piece of advice would be to hug your partner, relatives or friends if you know they will be facing a stressful situation in the near future," Packheiser said. That is if they want a hug, of course.
This study builds on an existing knowledge base in the field that points to how a loved one's affection protects against the negative effects of stress on the body, Floyd said.
A 2018 study showed that receiving a hug after a conflict or negative event helped people feel better.
And positive physical contact is known to help calm the nervous system, said Lisa Damour, an Ohio clinical psychologist who specializes in adolescent development.
Hugs reduce stress in women 0:42
But there is no measure of affection that works for everyone.
"It's important to remember that there is individual variation in how people respond to hugs," Floyd said.
"For some, a hug is a welcome expression of kindness that can relieve stress, reduce pain, and promote intimacy. For others, hugs are something intrusive or unnatural that can even raise their stress levels, rather than relieve them." ”.
Couples often have a good idea of how their loved one responds to physical affection, but the best hugs are those that are offered with consideration for the recipient's feelings, Damour said.
Be sure to check out what your partner needs before assuming they need a hug.
stress