Most of us have heard the expression "hug it out," but a recent study finds that hugs really can reduce stress.Â
The study looked at more than 400 people over a two-week span. Researchers found that when a person reported having some sort of conflict or negative event during the day, a hug was associated with less negative emotions.Â
The effect was the same for both women and men.Â
Sometimes, the longer the duration of the hug, the better. Other research has suggested we should aim for a 20-second hug.Â
"I think the longer a hug lasts, the more our thoughts wind down," said Dr. Scott Bea with the Cleveland Clinic. "Because we could be hugging, but over-thinking and not noticing the hug. And I think if we hang on just a little bit longer, some of that thinking goes down and we actually start to feel the presence of the human being in front of us."
He says hugs can be especially comforting in today's society, when so much of our communication is done electronically.Â