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A hug a day brings happiness to stay

Un câlin par jour attire le bonheur pour toujours

Giving or receiving a hug for 20 seconds each day can improve health, engage procedural memory, and reduce stress1.

When hugging, the production of two hormones increases: oxytocin, which is responsible for attachment, among other things, and dopamine, which helps strengthen cognition and connection to the present moment2. Dopamine also helps reduce cortisol, the hormone that fuels prolonged stress states3. In other words, a hug promotes a sense of attachment and environmental awareness, while reducing the chances of the body being chronically stressed.

Combating stress and loneliness in seniors

It is highly beneficial for seniors in residential care to frequently experience the benefits of a hug. Indeed, they often suffer from loneliness linked to their living environment and lack of family presence, as well as stress related to feeling like a burden or being unable to do things on their own4.

While it is unrealistic to expect a family member or friend to embrace them daily, there are interesting alternatives that can have a great impact on their lifestyle:

  • Offer them the opportunity to hold therapeutic dolls and watch procedural memory activate in your residents with cognitive decline!

  • Provide them with heat therapy products to simulate the effect of a hug and human presence.
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES

1, 2, 3 Kunar, K (n.d.) How Do Hugs Make You Feel? https://www.medicinenet.com/how_do_hugs_make_you_feel/article.htm

4 Boudreault, A. & Ntetu, A. (2006). Affective touch and self-esteem in older people. Recherche en soins infirmiers, 86, 52-67. https://doi.org/10.3917/rsi.086.0052

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