Hugging: Is It Worth the Risk?

Aug 7, 2020 by CenTrial



The coronavirus has left a lot of people feeling touch-deprived, and not only those who live alone.

A recent survey concluded that adults who felt touch-deprived had higher instances of depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disruption, and stress.

And another test of more than 1,000 reported that people who hugged, kissed, and met with other people during lockdown were 26 percent less likely to experience symptoms of depression, as well as benefiting from lower heart rate, higher levels of oxytocin, and lower levels of cortisol. And no, video chats did not reap the same benefits.

So, the question remains: is it worth the risk of getting coronavirus in order to get in your hug fix?

Although it is important to maintain social distancing, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 while hugging:

1. Plan your hugs.
2. Wash your hands before and after hugging.
3. Wear your face covering.
4. Point your faces in opposite directions.
5. Don't touch each other's face or clothing with your face.
6. Don't exhale while hugging.
7. Make it brief.

Sounds pretty clinical, but if you crave hugging, at least do what you can to keep yourself safe.

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