The healing magic of touch
Physical touch—from a handshake to a hug—can bring significant benefits for both mind and body, lessening depression, anxiety, and even pain. That’s the conclusion of a large new analysis of research on the subject, covering 212 studies involving nearly 13,000 people, reports The Guardian (U.K.). To their surprise, the researchers found that objects such as robots or weighted blankets provided similar physical benefits as human touch, although for mental health, humans were better. Women benefited more than men, and the sick or those in pain more than the healthy. Newborns benefited in particular, and a parent’s skin-to-skin contact helped them more than that of a stranger. The study also found that the type and duration of touch wasn’t important, but the frequency was—a single massage wouldn’t work wonders by itself. One study showed that a daily 20-minute massage reduced stress and aggression in older people with dementia. Another found that healthy young adults who stroked a robotic baby seal were happier, and experienced less pain, than those who read an article about an astronomer. Co-author Helena Hartmann, from University Hospital Essen in Germany, says: “More consensual touch events throughout our day can help alleviate or potentially buffer against mental and physical complaints.”