For better heart health ...try a hug

MOST of us like being hugged by a friend or loved one, or stroking the dog. But why does being touched or touching matter so much? This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to two scientists who, more than a decade ago, identified some of the mechanisms that trigger the sensations of touch, including a key protein, which they called Piezo1, after the Greek word for ‘pressure’.

As well as Piezo1, there are nerves in our skin that respond to gentle touch, by sending signals to the brain, leading to the production of oxytocin, the ‘love’ hormone. One study found that stroking 3cm of skin per second is optimal.

As well as making us feel good, being touched reduces feelings of stress by lowering our heart rate and blood pressure.

Personally, I enjoy a good hug, and since I read somewhere that you should aim for 20 seconds once a day, I have been giving that a go. It is lovely, but best not to try this out on strangers.