The hug is a very powerful gesture from an emotional but also a physical point of view. Knowing this we should be particularly generous and dispense many every day starting with our children. In fact, it seems that the most embraced children are also those with the best brain development.
THEembrace it is a very powerful gesture from an emotional but also a physical point of view. Knowing this we should be particularly generous and dispense many every day starting with our children. In fact, it seems that the most embraced children are also those with the best brain development.
Time spent with family and children not only strengthens bonds but is also capable of providing countless physical benefits. A simple hug given to someone you love, for example, causes surprising positive changes. When we exchange this sign of affection and closeness, oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, comes into play.
This substance regulates numerous vital social behaviors, such as the ability to emotionally bond with friends and family. Help mothers during childbirth and then develop healthy bonds with their babies by protecting them and making them thrive. It can therefore be said that our survival is also linked to the existence of this hormone which promotes social bonds and increases brain development by reducing anxiety and stress.
Its production is stimulated not only by hugs but also by breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact. So imagine what can happen to a child who does not experience the hugs and love of those who should take care of him ...
The negative effect is likely to be felt on the trust he will (not) develop in others and on his ability to establish healthy relationships with other people.
According to new research from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio, the physical affection that is expressed primarily through hugs during the child's development period is even more important than previously thought.
In fact, researchers have noticed that the more a child is hugged, the more his brain has the opportunity to develop at its best. To reach this point, the team of experts took a sample of 125 babies, both premature and full-term, who examined how they were cared for in the first months of life.
The results showed that premature babies responded to affection less than full-term babies. What was also found, however, is that children who received more affection from their parents or hospital staff exhibited stronger brain response.
Early manifestations of love from parents and caregivers have lasting effects on how the child's brain reacts to displays of affection, and this concretely means that hugging early and for a long time could help pre-babies. Ends experiencing affection as a pleasant rather than oppressive circumstance, while stimulating positive brain responses.
According to researcher Dr. Nathalie Maitre, this discovery tells us that something as simple as the body contact or cradling the baby in your arms can make a big difference in how his brain develops.
Basically, therefore, affection is vital not only emotionally but also biologically for healthy brain development.
All that remains is to do what every mother (and father) feels instinctively: hug their children as much as possible!
You might also be interested in the power of a hug:
- 10 benefits of a hug
- Hugs convey our emotions better than words
- Hugs: a panacea to prevent colds and live better
