Embrace your stress!

Hugging is not only a way of greeting your beloved or expressing yourself. Recent studies reveal hugging can help one de-stress.

Infact, Adhuna, Farhan Akhtar’s ex, who is now dating Nicolo Morea, posted a picture on Instagram with Nicolo Morea with a strong caption that read, (“#hugging has been proven to have health benefits. One study has shown that hugs increase levels of oxytocin and reduce blood pressure.”) She had added “Leo Buscaglia encourages people to hug for 21 days consecutively and to have each day a hug that lasts for a minimum of 21 seconds.” It apparently builds feelings of happiness and contentedness. We asked young people about this and they are in total agreement.

“Hugging is closely related to comforting someone. It is a gesture that says you care, in the smallest way. By hugging someone you feel relaxed and comfortable which does definitely help you feel relaxed,” says Sukrutha Sai, a visual merchandiser.

Nishitha Rachel explains, “Hugs can work like magic. I might not say it but when I am worried or anxious about something I always crave a hug, and a genuine hug helps.”

While youngsters treat hugging as a tradition to greet someone, there are those who consider it taboo. “I completely agree that hugging someone can help de-stress but this gesture is often misread. My relatives still frown at me when they see me hugging someone of the opposite sex,” says Akshay Suresh, from Zyme Solutions.

Neeta Pereira, a psychology professor, feels that hugging is a good way to build trust. She says, “Hugging is  important. From the time a child is born, one of the most important ways through which they deal with understanding and trusting their environment is through warmth, hugging; and a mother’s touch.”