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Skin-to-skin contact and the benefit
of human touch
Our skin is our largest organ, and it can be very sensitive and
responsive. The warmth of a hand held, the sensation of a soft
cheek against ours, arms wrapped around shoulders in embrace...
they can all go a long way toward expressing our affection for
someone. But touch can actually give more than a momentary tingle
or a second of solace; touch can comfort and heal.
The effect of a touch depends, of course, upon the situation. A
touch from someone can be relaxing or reassuring, off-putting or
gentle, soothing or stimulating. Touch can also bond us together
in ways that transcend words or in situations in which words may
not help. Take babies, for instance. In one study it was found
that fathers who gave their infants daily bedtime massages
displayed more enjoyment and warmth with their child. In another,
babies given a blood test were either swaddled in blankets or
held, skin-to-skin, by their mothers. The babies being hugged had
lower heart rates and cried 82% less than those left wrapped and
lying in their cribs.
Touch's comfort can extend to older kids, too. After receiving
massage sessions, adolescents with ADHD expressed feelings of
happiness, and their teachers noted a decrease in the adolescents'
fidgeting and off-task activities. Even self-massage has benefits,
as proven by a study of people trying to deal with the cravings
and anxiety associated with quitting smoking. When they felt the
urge to smoke, test subjects were advised to rub their hands
together or stroke their ear lobes. Rubbed away with the tension
was the urge to light up.
Some might argue that touch and massage just distract us from our
aches or anxieties. But what to make of research that links
massage therapy to decreased blood pressure in adults with
hypertension or to the improved immune function in women with
breast cancer? Some research suggests that people who are deprived
of touch early in life may have a tendency toward violent or
aggressive behaviour later, and research in rats has found that
rats with a strong mothering instinct (measured by licking and
grooming their babies) were more likely have babies that showed a
strong mothering instinct.
So, is touch simply a pleasant, soothing diversion? Is it mind
over matter, or something more? No matter what the case, embrace
the power of touch and invite it into your life:
* Go in for the rubdown. Even if you don't have aches and pains,
book a visit to a licensed massage therapist. Hopefully you'll
leave more relaxed.
* DIY massage. If you're shy about stretching out for a massage
therapist, try self-massage techniques, like rubbing your hands
together to warm them and then cupping them over your closed eyes.
Feel the calm wash over you as your eyes and facial muscles relax.
* Conduct some hug research. When you greet a friend or family
member, go in for an embrace rather than a handshake or nod.
Sample a few different varieties of hug - arms around the waist,
hands on the shoulder blades. Linger in the hug a little and
really relish the sensation of closeness.
* Touch is an all-ages activity. Babies can benefit from gentle
touch and massage, but the need and desire for human contact
doesn't dwindle as we age. Remember older relatives and friends,
especially those who live on their own or who have lost their
husbands or wives.
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