Receiving affectionate touches from our significant other during a time of duress is an unparalleled comfort. Touch makes us happy, no matter whether it involves holding hands, a warm hug, or simply cuddling together on the couch.
It only makes sense (pun fully intended) that touch is the first sense that we develop because it provides comfort to infants. Even as adults, many of us still associate touching with love languages. But even as we love to connect in physical ways, many people struggle with physical affection. However, touch and affection are vital parts of any relationship.
Here are three important benefits of physical touch:
Touch lessens physical pain.
When we receive physical affection, our bodies release feel-good hormones that increase oxytocin. The oxytocin release lessens physical pain and calms us, too. While low-key affection will do the trick, oxytocin also increases during sexual orgasms, which should be your extra motivation for some sexy time.
Physical affection is also great for your heart.
While affection certainly increases the love in our hearts, it also lowers your blood pressure and pulse. Lower pulse and blood pressure rates ultimately help your heart, especially if you’re female. Loving touches also increases trust.
Engaging in loving touch can increase how trustworthy you appear to your significant other. All those hormones bond us with our lovers and help us feel safe around them. Clearly, touch is the ultimate “trust fall.”
Touch lowers our stress.
Physical affection reduces stress hormones, like cortisol. In fact, studies found that simply holding a loved one’s hand deactivates stress-related regions of the brain. What’s more, these effects aren’t limited to a single moment. Snuggling with our partners at night can actually lower our stress and improve our overall mood the next day, too.
Touch is a vital way to connect with our partners. Not only does it strengthen our relationships with our significant others, but it also provides amazing health benefits. The warmth of snuggling with someone you love on a cold fall day and the tingle of a coveted forehead kiss makes us light up in all the best ways. So grab your honey, and remember to stay in touch.
Feature Image by Diego Rezende from Pexels
