Researchers at THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA report a study suggesting that hugs may have benefits beyond just comfort and affection.
They recruited 59 women who had been living with a spouse or monogamous partner and during a multi-phase set of interactions including a stressor phase they measured blood pressure, heart rate, and oxytocin levels before and after each phase.
Women who said they got more hugs from their partners generally had higher oxytocin levels at all phases of testing.
They concluded that oxytocin may be a link between hugging and lower blood pressure. Blood pressure is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
The findings from this study may explain why individuals with emotional support from a spouse or partner are less likely to die from heart disease.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment