7 reasons a hug is good for you 🤗

There’s a reason we reach for a hug when someone’s had a rough day, or when we haven’t seen a friend in ages. Hugs just feel right.

But is there more to it than a warm, fuzzy feeling? Scientists have been curious too. Here’s what they’ve found so far, explained simply – plus a few reasons of our own.

1. A hug says “I’m here” without any words

Sometimes there’s nothing to say. A hug says it anyway.

Feeling connected to other people is one of the NHS’s 5 steps to mental wellbeing. Good relationships can help us feel we belong and give us someone to share the good bits with. A hug is one of the quickest ways to show someone they matter.

2. It may help you feel calmer before a stressful moment

Got a big meeting, an exam or a scary phone call coming up? A hug might help.

In a 2021 study, researchers in Germany gave some volunteers a 20-second hug before a stressful public-speaking task. Those who got the hug had a smaller rise in cortisol – a hormone linked to stress – than people who didn’t. Another study in 2022 found something similar in women who hugged their partner before a stressful test (though interestingly, not in men).

They’re small studies, so it’s early days. But it’s a nice excuse for a pre-meeting squeeze.

3. Hugs are linked with feeling supported

Back in 2014, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University asked 404 adults how often they were hugged over two weeks. Then – for science! – they exposed them to a common cold virus.

People who felt more supported by others, and who got more hugs, tended to have milder symptoms if they did catch the cold. The lead researcher suggested that being hugged by someone you trust may be a way of showing support.

So no, a hug isn’t a cold remedy. But it’s a lovely reminder that feeling cared for matters.

4. Touch is good for our wellbeing

In 2024, a team of researchers looked at over 130 studies on touch, covering thousands of people. Their big review suggested that caring, wanted touch was linked to better wellbeing in adults, with some of the clearest links to feeling less pain and less low.

One of the researchers put it perfectly: if you feel like hugging family or friends, “don’t hold back, as long as the other person gives their consent” (source). We couldn’t have said it better. 💛

5. Giving a hug feels good too

Hugs work both ways. When you hug someone who needs it, you get one back.

The NHS says small acts of kindness can create positive feelings and a sense of purpose for the person giving them. A hug is about the smallest, simplest act of kindness there is.

6. Not a hugger? A teddy still counts

Here’s our favourite finding from that 2024 review. Hugging things – like cushions, soft toys and body pillows – had a smaller effect than hugging people, but still showed some benefit, especially for how people felt physically (source).

So if you’d rather not be squeezed by a human today, grab your old teddy. We won’t tell. 🧸

7. It’s free, and you can’t run out

No subscription. No equipment. No batteries. A hug works on a Monday morning, after a long shift, or when the kettle’s just boiled.

The more you give, the more there seem to be. Hard to beat that.

One golden rule: always ask first

Hugs are only good when they’re wanted. Some people love them. Some people really don’t – and that’s completely OK.

A simple “Fancy a hug?” gives the other person an easy choice. If it’s a no, a smile, a high five or a “thinking of you” text can mean just as much.

Spread the hugs

Want to be a walking reminder to hug more (with permission, of course)?

• Blob Buddies collection – including our Free Hugs tee, with two blob buddies with arms wide open
• Teddy Hugs collection – including Hugs Are Beary Good For You, for the teddy-huggers among us

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