Doctor shares what happens to the body when you hug someone

A medical expert has revealed why a simple hug can lift your spirits when you’re feeling low.

Today (February 12) marks ‘Hug Day,’ a part of Valentine’s week that is trending on social media as people gear up to spend quality time with their friends or loved ones.

The concept behind Hug Day is to highlight the significance of spreading love and warmth through simple embraces. Whether it’s family, friends, or your partner, a hug can significantly improve your mood if you’re feeling down.

Dr Alexandra Moorhouse, a Private GP at Wellsoon Private Healthcare from Practice Plus Group, emphasises that while “not everyone is a hugger, and preference for physical touch varies from person to person,” the associations linked with hugging are generally positive. So, what makes hugs so beneficial for our health?

Dr Moorhouse says: “Physical touch from a person we trust, whether that is a friend, a spouse or even a healthcare professional, has been shown to buffer the effects of stress on the brain and our fight or flight response.”

She adds that “Hugs and physical touch, in general, boost the level of a chemical in the brain called oxytocin – a hormone that promotes positive feelings and has a positive impact on how bonded we feel with people in our lives.”

This hormone not only helps us relax and reduces anxiety but can also lower blood pressure and heart rate.

There’s even some evidence suggesting that hugging can influence how intensely we experience pain and promote better sleep.

Dr. Moorhouse explained that receiving a hug is “an expression of empathy or reassurance” from someone else, and this gesture can make one feel “safe, supported”, which may also boost mood. She continued: “When we hug someone, we are saying that we care about them and that we are a source of social support for them.Multiple studies have shown that the perceived availability of social support has been found to protect against the potential of stressful events to cause emotional distress and develop depression or anxiety.”

The doctor pointed out, “When we are under stress, this obviously affects our emotional health, but it can also affect your physical health as well by dysregulating your immune system, meaning you are more likely to be affected by illness, increasing our perception of pain, and affecting important factors for our heart health such as raising our blood pressure and heart rate.”

Moreover, they added, “When we do not get that physical contact that we need as humans, it can negatively impact our emotional wellbeing, leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation – even where people are in close proximity to others- due to a feeling of lacking connection.”

“A lack of physical touch is associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety and even physical illness. Studies have shown that people who report higher levels of loneliness also have higher rates of acute and chronic disease across a range of different issues from increasing our susceptibility to infections, or risk of heart disease to increasing our risk of obesity and memory issues.”

Hugs are not just comforting, but they’re also crucial for our health, according to Dr. Naheed Ali at Vera Clinic. He said: “Stress takes a toll in ways people don’t always notice right away. Over time, it can lead to inflammation, disrupt digestion, and even contribute to hair thinning and an overall dull, tired-looking appearance.”

“Chronic high cortisol affects circulation, which impacts how nutrients reach the skin, scalp, and other tissues. The body needs periods of recovery to function well, and small things-like regular physical touch-help create that reset.”

“It’s one of the easiest ways to support well-being. No effort, no cost. Just a few seconds of real connection, and the effects go deeper than most people realise.”