Being hugged uplifts our mood. If you are feeling isolated or are going through a rough time, a hug releases endorphins. Endorphins are the body's natural pain relievers. These neurotransmitters increase our feelings of pleasure.
“Xoxo to you too!” to be more energetic and personal. “Xoxoxo” as a jokey way to say “Even more hugs and kisses to you!”
It's pretty common knowledge that XOXO means "hugs and kisses." As Dictionary.com defines it, the phrase is generally thought of as a "lighthearted way of expressing affection, sincerity, or deep friendship." The X represents a kiss, while the O represents a hug.
We bond through physical touch. Skin is the largest organ in your body and sends good and bad touch sensations to your brain. When you engage in pleasant touch, like a hug, your brain releases a hormone called oxytocin. This makes you feel good and firms up emotional and social bonds while lowering anxiety and fear.
Hugging someone you love for 20 seconds a day is the key to alleviating stress and beating burnout, according to a new book. A lingering embrace releases the bonding hormone oxytocin, which can lower your blood pressure, slow your heart rate and improve your mood.
Psychologists in London claim they have cracked the code on the ideal embrace, saying hugs should last between five and 10 seconds. According to researchers at Goldsmiths university, longer hugs were found to provide an immediate pleasure boost compared to shorter ones (lasting just one second).
As author and family therapist Virginia Satir once said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth”.
Touch starvation occurs when you go without skin-to-skin contact for long periods. Over time, it can impact your mental health and well-being. Being touch starved — aka touch deprived or skin hungry — can happen when you have had little to no touch from other living things.
One of the most effective, thorough, and predictable ways you can get your physical touch needs met is by getting a professional massage. Body massages, foot massages, or chair massages are all good options, with varying affordability and availability depending on where you live.
The Need For Intimacy
The first and the most obvious reason why you may crave affection is because you don't have enough of it in your life. Some people tend to experience this due to a lack of close relationships, the absence of a romantic partner, or simply not having a strong support network of friends and family.
A person may become touch starved when they do not receive enough physical or emotional interaction from others. They may crave hugs, handshakes, or even a simple smile from a stranger. When there is a significant decrease in human interaction, someone might begin to feel isolated or experience symptoms of depression.
As humans, we crave connection and interaction. And sometimes during certain seasons of our lives, many of us will experience a level of touch deprivation, also known as skin hunger. “Humans are born with an innate need for physical touch.”
Flirty Hug
If you are at the onset of a relationship, this is the perfect way to express yourself without being bold. However, in an existing relationship, a flirty hug (which involves a little delicate touching) is a great way to keep the romance alive. If you do this often, you two are on the right track.
Women usually initiate hugging with men and are often expected to dictate the type of hug that will take place, as well as the duration of the hug. Women also typically desire more hugs, as well as other forms of affection, than men.
Make quick, casual contact.
Lean in, bending from your waist. The idea here is not full-body contact, which is a much more intimate and personal hug. Wrap one arm around her arm and place your hand in-between her shoulder blades. Wrap your other arm around her and place your hand below your first hand.