The benefits of touch

The first of our senses to develop when we are born is that of touch. Inventory of some of its benefits with Martin Ducret, doctor and journalist at “Quotidien du Médecin”.

Have you ever felt well-being after a hug, at the end of a stressful day, following a caress on the shoulder when you were feeling depressed, or after a massage session? This is probably thanks to the benefits of touch, the first of our senses to develop when we are born.

franceinfo: A major study published in the journal Natural Human Behaviortried to evaluate its positive effects on our physical and mental health…

Martin Ducret: Yes, it’s a Dutch study, a meta-analysis, that is to say that the authors selected the studies considered to be the most serious among hundreds on the subject.

In total, more than 130 international studies involving around 10,000 participants have revealed that touch can be beneficial at all ages, whether sick or healthy.

In adults, it reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, reduces the feeling of pain and fatigue and improves sleep. It also helps lower blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels (the stress hormone). In newborns, it promotes weight gain and regulates liver enzymes, temperature, respiration and also cortisol.

But when you talk about touch, what does that mean?

In most of the studies analyzed, touch corresponds mainly to massages but also to caresses or hugs, and it does not need to be long, less than 20 minutes is enough. On the other hand, the more frequent it is, the more beneficial its effects are.

For the newborn, it is skin-to-skin contact that brings the most comfort, especially when it is one of his parents who cuddles him. In adults, on the other hand, the effects of touch can be just as positive whether it is a loved one or a less familiar person, such as a health professional for example.

And even contact with a robot or an object can have advantages?

Yes, it seems surprising, but being touched by a robot that resembles a human being, or even curling up in a weighted blanket improves well-being in many people. Obviously, contact with a flesh-and-blood human is preferable, particularly for mental health where the emotional component linked to touch is essential.

Finally, even if it seems obvious, I point out that the act of touching requires consent and that the need for physical contact varies from one person to another. So no worries for those who aren’t too into cuddling. For others, don’t hesitate, caresses or a massage can only do you good!