National Hug Day!

National Hug Day was created by Reverend Kevin Zaborney in Caro, Michigan in 1986 as an antidote to the reverend’s perception that many American were afraid to display affection in public. He created the date on which this holiday is celebrated, January 21st because he felt this was a time of the year when the spirit of people were at the lowest due to it falling between Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

Humans are social creatures and as a result hugging offers a myriad of mental and physical benefits to people, as now science is beginning to discover. For instance, hugging can boost oxycontin and serotonin levels, boost self esteem and improve mental health. Hugging has also been shown to improve cardiac health, lower blood pressure and increase relaxation levels in both participants.

Hugging is also an important part of relationships. Partners who hug on a regular basis are more bonded and trust each other more than those who don’t frequently touch. There is also a link between partners who frequently hug and the longevity of their marriages. Couples who frequently touch each other tend to have longer and happier marriages than those who don’t.