It is common for couples to be very physical at the beginning of a relationship – to not be able to keep their hands off each other – over time, we often get distracted by the demands of work and home and just, well forget to touch our partners. By being more mindful about how and when we touch our significant others, we can give our relationships a quick and easy boost. Affectionate touch promotes feelings of bonding and attachment in couples, but in long-term relationships, it can also contribute to overall physical health and well-being.
- Touch Can Reduce Pain
Being hands-on with your partner has been shown to work as a natural analgesic. In an experiment; females were subjected to mild heat pain on the forearm for 2 minutes. When the couples were allowed to hold hands, the woman’s pain subsided. It was also found that the couples breathing, and heart rates synchronized.
- Touching Can Ease Stress
When we touch, we produce more of the mood boosting serotonin and less of the stress hormone cortisol; our heart rate and blood pressure lower, and our brain waves change towards relaxation mode.
- Touching Can Make You Both Healthier & Happier
When touch is wanted, it is fantastic for our overall health, and the health of our relationships. In a domino effect, when we’re relaxed and receiving increased “feel good” chemicals and fewer stress hormones, we’re better able to fight disease and infection. Research suggests regular touch in one’s relationship is linked to higher relationship and partner satisfaction.
- Touching Fuels Your Bond
When you are touched by your partner, you receive a surge of oxytocin often called the “love hormone” which helps to sustain feelings of deep attachment.
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