Psychology & Psychiatry

Four health benefits of hugs—and why they feel so good

For many people, the thing they've missed most during the pandemic is being able to hug loved ones. Indeed, it wasn't until we lost our ability to hug friends and family did many realise just how important touch is for many ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Do you miss hugging? Psychology can tell you why

After nearly 11 months with no physical contact because of the pandemic, I stopped by a friend's home on a January afternoon. It was a dreary Friday and we stood six feet away from one another in her back yard, wearing our ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Infinite hug mechanism may be key to lung fibrosis

Researchers have long known that fibrosis – scarred tissue and organs – is caused by a wound healing mechanism that goes awry beyond normal wound repair. Now, a group of researchers at the University of Toronto's Faculty ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Hugs may help protect against conflict-related distress

Receiving hugs may buffer against deleterious changes in mood associated with interpersonal conflict, according to a study published October 3rd in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Michael Murphy of Carnegie Mellon University, ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Hugs evaluated

In emotionally charged situations, people tend to hug each other from the left side more often than in neutral contexts. Biopsychologists at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), headed by Julian Packheiser, Noemi Rook and assistant ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Squeeze play: How hugs may figure into health

You'll get no argument from most people - especially on a cold winter's night - that hugs make you feel warm inside. But can that good feeling protect your health?