The Power of Touch

Touch is very powerful, both bad and good. I want to discuss the power of touch in a healthy, loving environment. Did you know that to thrive in relationships, as a baby, or as a child touch is SO important? The smallest touch can activate those reward centers in the brain and make us feel better. We feel happier, safer, more confident, more soothed and more connected.

Think back to when you were a child. If you were hurt, sometimes the thing that made you feel better was just the hug or kiss you got. When Ella gets hurt, as soon as I kiss her owie, she is fine. This is more so getting about the love and compassion of me recognizing her pain and comforting her then it is about the injury. That small act of touch helps her feel better immediately.

For babies to thrive, they need to be touched. Premature babies who received three 15-minute sessions of touch therapy each day for 5-10 consecutive days gained 47% more weight than those who received standard medical care and all the nutrition, warmth and physical security. As well as this, infants whose mothers touched them more had more advanced visual motor skills and more advanced gross motor development. 

I know in my relationship, touch makes me happier instantly. A hug after work or a quick kiss, makes my day better! Or even if Matt just gives me a quick foot massage, I feel so great! Touch makes me a better person, and a better mom.

I am very blessed and have LOTS of touch in my life. Between the girls, Matt, working on others and getting my own self-care I am definitely not deprived of loving touch. What about you? Are you as blessed as I am?

I often think of those who  rarely receive touch. When the smallest touch can be healing, what could a massage do? Touch alone reduces stress, is compassionate, helps our relationships and increases our overall well-being. If you find yourself thinking that you don't receive a lot of touch, massage would be a great way to increase that in your life. You will probably find yourself relaxing quickly and enjoying a healthy and caring touch that you may have been deprived from. You may also find that you are happier for days afterward and less stressed. 

I know touch can take me from a grizzly bear to a much nicer human being... so what could it do for you?

As always, 

Best of Health,

Nikki