The Power of Hugs - Central Coast Sports College (2024)

I read a post on Facebook last night that made me think about a hug I received recently.

“The average length of a hug between two people isthree seconds, but researchers have discovered something fantastic. When a hug lasts 20 seconds, there is a therapeutic effect on the body and mind. The reason is that a sincere hug produces a hormone called oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. This substance has many benefits in our physical and mental health, helps us, among other things, to relax, to feel safe and calm our fears and anxiety.”

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Driving home from hospital on Saturday evening I was feeling very fragile. I had just been to visit my dad with my three children and myone month old glam-baby. My dad is extremely sick and I am deeply fearful that his life is rapidly coming to an end. I was trying so hard to hide the way I was feeling. Im not sure if this was because I didn’t want to upset or worry my children or if I was trying to just hold myself together for fear of breaking into a million little pieces.

We stopped on the way home to get some dinner as I knew I would not be able to manage cooking when we got home. My son, Carson, came in with me to order our food and wait. While we waited, Carson gave me a hug. I didn’t ask him for a hug, it was just given to me, without hesitation because he knew I needed it. So there we stood, with no regard for others around us, hugging. I felt safe and I felt loved. What a caring and thoughtful young man I have raised.

I once taught an autistic student who would come to me for a hug to ‘power up’. This was our little thing we did at the end of a tough day. Carson hugging me, while we were waiting for our dinner, was just what I needed to ‘power up’.

Hug the people you love. Hug them for 20 seconds. You just never know when someone needs a ‘power up’.