Hugging is the Answer

Perhaps I feel that hugging is the answer because my wife is affectionately known as "The Happy Hugger." If it's moving, she'll stop it and hug it, and if it's not moving, she'll dust it off and sell it! There's another reason I believe hugging is the answer, however. According to Greg Risberg of the Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, the physiological benefit of hugging includes a reduction of blood pressure and increased oxygen in the blood. He said that we all have a "skin hunger" and we are missing out on a vital part of our health if we're not getting in on some serious hugging. He maintains that four hugs a day are the minimum required to meet that skin hunger.

From my perspective, I need lots more than four. Stanley Simon of the University of Massachusetts said that "hugging does more than demonstrate affection. It actually seems to keep people healthy. The skin is the body's largest sensory organ. If it's under-stimulated, many people actually develop an aching sensation. These are the people who will find it harder to get well and to stay well."

For the benefit of you husbands, let me tell you something about your wives. They love hugs but resent it when you ignore them all day and then give them your undivided attention when the lights go out at night. They want a hug when a hug is all you have on your mind. They don't necessarily want them to be long, and in most cases, they do not want them to be suggestive or sensual. The hug really says, "I love you, I enjoy being around you, you're important to me, I look forward to spending more time with you." There's an old saying that actions speak louder than words, and to take a few seconds a number of times during the day to get and give those non-suggestive hugs really speaks volumes. Give it a try!