"The Science Behind Holding Hands: A Fascinating Insight"

1 min read
Source: The Washington Post
"The Science Behind Holding Hands: A Fascinating Insight"
Photo: The Washington Post
TL;DR Summary

Holding hands with a loved one has remarkable effects on our emotional state, including lowering blood pressure, reducing pain, and buffering stressful experiences. Research suggests that the simple gesture can limit the impact of stress on our autonomic nervous system and calm parts of the brain responsible for vigilance and emotional response. Studies show that holding hands helps the brain offload the work of confronting stress, and it's a fundamental aspect of human connection. The human brain expects access to relationships and interdependence, and feeling alone is perceived as a problem. Our hands play a crucial role in how we explore and understand the world, with high nerve density and the ability to communicate emotions through touch. The pandemic highlighted the deep need for physical touch, and offering a hand to someone who is struggling is a natural and comforting response.

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