Today is National Hug Day!
National Hugging Day,™ also known as National Hug Day, is an annual holiday created by Rev. Kevin Zaborney in Michigan, USA. It occurs on January 21 and is officially recognized by the United States Copyright Office. It was first celebrated in 1986 and has since spread to multiple countries. The purpose of the holiday is to encourage people to openly express themselves through hugging. Offer a hug to anyone and everyone you want but remember it is wise to ask first. Whether you hug a family member or a stranger, the mental and physical health benefits are the same. For more information, visit www.nationalhuggingday.com. It’s hug day everyday in our house.
Benefits of hugging:
1) Hugs make us feel “happy”! When we hug another person, our bodies release oxytocin, a hormone associated with “happiness,” according to scientific studies.
2) Hugs alleviate stress! Just as a good hug increases our oxytocin levels, it decreases our cortisol or “stress” levels.
3) Babies need hugs as much as water and food! According to researchers at Harvard University, hugs help promote normal levels of cortisol necessary for child development.
4) Hugs make us better students! Students who receive a supportive touch from a teacher are twice as likely to volunteer in class.
5) Hugs improve our game! Scientists at University of California, Berkley discovered that the more affectionate members of a team are with each other, the more likely they are to win.
6) A hug a day keeps the doctor away! A hug stimulates the thymus gland, which in turn regulates the production of white blood cells that keep us healthy and disease-free.
7) A hug stops the bug! Researchers at Carnegie Mellon proved that individuals who were sick and received hugs had less severe symptoms and were able to get better quicker.
8) A hugging heart is a healthy heart! Research from University of North Carolina showed that a good hug helps ease blood flow and lower cortisol levels, which in turn help lower our heart rates.
9) A hugging couple is a happy couple! Couples that experience their partners’ love through physical affection share higher oxytocin levels.
10) Hugs let someone know you care without having to say a word! According to Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at University of California, Berkeley, we can identify love from simple human touch – imagine how much love a big hug can communicate!
Learn more at Nationalhuggingday.com
I love that there is a National Hug Day! That is something to be celebrated!
Oh goodie, the excuse to get even more snuggles and hugs from my boyfriend. He’s such a good huggie bear.
My husband is a total hugger so he’d be happy with this day. He wouldn’t be happy that I’m out of town and he can’t hug me though 😛
My daughter and husband are HUGE huggers. Me not so much, but I try and indulge them. I guess I’ll have to do that today 😉 Ever since we saw Big Hero 6 though, my daughter always does “last hug” when we see her though and she’s 18 LOL!
How did miss this day!! I will have to celebrate t,Oreos,I guess! My students will love it.
I’m a hugger. 🙂 And I love that there is a Nat’l Hug Day… even if every day is a hug day for me.
I love this! Why not have a day for hugging. I make sure to snuggle my loved ones daily, but a little extra time is never a bad idea.
I’m not much of a hugger, but I always love getting them. 🙂
Aww, I should have spent the day hugging people!
Those are all the best reasons for a hug!
Definitely worth having it’s own day!
Yes, I love hug day…it’s the one day where I will indulge my friends in hugs.
So sorry to have missed this fun day but thankfully any time is a great time for a hug!