Did you get your hug today?
You've heard you are supposed to be practicing self-care, right? And sometimes it feels like just one more thing to add to your to-do list rather than something to actually reduce your stress level, right?
It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be difficult. It can be short, it can be simple. It can be a hug.
Hugging is a great self-care ritual.
"We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” Virginia Satir
Recent medical research at University of North Carolina found that both blood pressure and levels of Cortisol, the hormone produced when we’re under stress, were significantly lowered (particularly in women) when subjects hugged their partners for at least twenty seconds.
A 20 second hug is the optimal length - it is just long enough to trigger the release of oxytocin -- the "love drug"
Practice some great self-care today and help a friend do the same - hug someone!
Leading up to my upcoming webinar, I'm sending out daily mini self-care stress relief tidbits. Catch them on my Facebook page or on twitter.
Mark your calendar! Tuesday, November 13, 7:00 PM
Learn how you can reduce and relieve stress with 3 Surprising Self-Care Secrets for Busy Women in this 30 minute FREE webinar
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