The History Of National Hug Day Was Made So People Are Not Shy To Show Their Affection

Photo illustration (Unsplash / Helena Lopes)

JAKARTA - Every January 21, the world commemorates National Hug Day or World Hug Day. As we all know a hug not only creates a sense of comfort, but also turns out to be able to nourish the body and mind. So how is the history of the establishment of the National Hug Day which is celebrated on this day?

National Hug Day is actually a celebration of a form of love for people we know. With a note, the person agreed to hug. As quoted by Deutsche Welle, January 21, 2021, this celebration first appeared in Michigan in 1986. The initiators of the United States (US) Adam Olis and Kevin Zaborney.

At first Zabotney felt that Americans are shy about cats when they have to hug people. In other words, they are embarrassed to show their positive affections or emotions in public. For this reason, Zabotney took the initiative to hold a celebration so that people could hug each other in public and not be shy about expressing their positive emotions.

Hugs are not only about expressing feelings of love, but for simply greeting, separating, and being sad. The various benefits of hugging have also been proven through research.

From a health perspective, for example, humans who are social creatures can respond to physical touch as a strong medicine. This was revealed by Lina Velikova, MD, an immunologist, researcher and assistant professor at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria.

"Cuddling increases levels of oxytocin, the 'bonding' hormone, and lowers cortisol levels, the 'stress' hormone. These hormones affect everything from mental health to the cardiovascular system to your sleep, "explains Velikova, quoted from thehealthy.com.

Stress antidote

Plus, there's a scientific reason why hugs can feel so good on a difficult day. In a study published in 2018 in PLoS One, participants who got a hug were better able to cope with stressful events and bounce back faster than those who didn't.

Emotional endurance lasts a few days after the hug. The more hugs, the bigger the effect.

However, not all stress is the same. People who get regular hugs are also less likely to get sick with the flu virus than people who don't get physical affection, according to research published in Psychological Science.

"Cuddling helps boost your immune system, increasing its ability to defend against disease. Both by reducing stress and by improving your mental well-being, ”says Sabrina Romanoff, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health, in New York. The reason, says Romanoff, is that chronic stress has been shown to weaken the immune system.

While cuddling is a proven way to reduce stress, be careful if it is only on one side. When those feelings are not mutually beneficial, the stress hormone cortisol can be released, giving a hug the uncomfortable feeling. So any hug is worth considering and, if in doubt, ask permission before cuddling.