Hugging does a person good and we owe that to the hormone oxytocin. It is not without reason that it is also called the hug hormone. As early as 1906, scientists saw how our brains produce oxytocin through touch and social interaction.
Later more and more were discovered about this. The hormone oxytocin, for example, is important to get an emotional bond with someone and indispensable in giving birth and breastfeeding children. The hormone causes contractions to be induced for childbirth. From birth it contributes to the attachment between mother and child and together with the other hormone prolactin it provides the reflex reflex needed for breastfeeding.
Crucial role
Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science discovered that oxytocin is crucial much earlier than during labor. They conclude that the hormone is essential for brain development of an embryo, because it plays a role in the formation of blood vessels in the pituitary gland.
Instinct
Both women and men make oxytocin. The hormone ensures that we reproduce as a species. Because it is a substance that makes us feel good, oxytocin can be seen as a reward for our brain. We are rewarded for being with others. This causes us to be social beings and explains why loneliness makes us sick.
The release of oxytocin is related to a person’s ability to build meaningful relationships. Hugging your child is an ancient, natural instinct that gives both the parent and the child a good feeling. In addition, it forms the basis of our emotional and physical well-being.
