Touch - Hugs Save Lives

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I feel like touch is one of the more interesting senses because I think I am consciously aware of it the least.  We are constantly aware of sight and sounds as we go about our days. Taste and scent are something we experience and enjoy during daily meals or snacks. I think I am most aware of those senses, but when it comes to touch, I don't think about it as much. For example, I am currently sitting in Emerson dining hall listening to the voices as they get louder and more annoying. I see my computer screen and I’m thinking about the harmful blue light from the screen on my retinas. I am tasting and smelling my breakfast and tea. However, I did not think about the feeling of the things around me until I began writing this. When I pick up the hot cup and if the liquid inside burns my mouth, I will process the pain, and for a moment the extreme awareness of the sense of touch will hit me, then subside again. When I walk outside and the cold air consumes me I am aware of it but I will not necessarily register it as this sense I have, it’s just cold. 

 

https://quotesgram.com/need-a-hug-quotes/


The section of chapter two in Ackerman’s book about kissing really made me think. I thought about when I kiss my partner and when he holds me how wonderful all of that is. Touch is such an important part of love, intimacy, and comfort. My father read an article to me about ten years ago that I still remember about how people need at least ten hugs per day. The oxytocin released during these hugs is significant to the human psyche. It is released when the sensory receptors in the skin are activated during hugs. Hugs are vital for healthy child development and building healthy immune systems. While taste, smell, sight, and hearing might seem more obvious throughout the day, touch is incredibly important for physical and mental health.

Comments

  1. Jonathan Brumberg-KrausFebruary 8, 2022 at 7:22 AM

    Glad you brought up kissing in Ackerman's book. It's no wonder kissing is so associated with romantic love, because it's such a powerful multi-sensory way of connecting with others - through touch, smell, taste, sight, and sound all at once! It's not surprising the Bible's paean to love, the Song of Songs aka Song of Solomon, begins with kissing - "Kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine!"

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  2. Dana WoychowskiFebruary 8, 2022 at 8:55 AM

    I really enjoyed this post as someone who also values the touch of a loved one. There is no favorite feeling that can compare to the warmth and calming embrace of a hug, and I think it is important that you mentioned the importance of physical touch in child development. It reminds us that touch does not simply have implications for releasing serotonin to make us feel good, but it has natural science applications in the brain as well. I also think the comparison you made to the other senses is very accurate, as I too realized that although touch is my favorite sense, I notice my other senses much more often. Perhaps this is what makes physical touch and embrace so special; because it is one of the rarer sensory experiences we must crave it in a way.

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  3. Violet WindhamFebruary 8, 2022 at 8:57 AM

    This is so interesting Eliza! It makes me sad to think how much touch and personal connection many of us have missed out on due to the pandemic I need to give and get more hugs! Thank you for sharing.

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