Stress, particularly when chronic, is associated with many negative health consequences. An effective way to reduce stress and lower cortisol (the “stress hormone”) involves physical contact—be it in ...

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Simple actions like consciously placing a hand on your heart or hugging yourself can lower your cortisol levels, heart rate, and help you feel less ...

We all experience unwanted, difficult emotions that can be overwhelming from time to time. Often our first instinct is to try and get rid of those feelings because they are painful: "I don't want to ...

Self-soothing is any relaxing practice to distract ourselves from negative thinking and help us feel better. Examples might be breathing exercises, playing uplifting music, taking up a mindfulness ...

Research shows that simple practices such as self-hugs, soothing touch, and hand-to-heart can calm the nervous system, supporting caregivers and the children in their care. As a veteran pre-K teacher ...

Its been five years of touch starvation. I’ll probably have some more years of it. I’m not handling this well. Lisbeth continued, “I feel like I’m dying from touch starvation, y’all. I don’t get hugs.

Touch deprivation is a real problem. Here’s how to navigate it and protect your mental health. Touch starvation, also known as touch deprivation or “skin hunger,” refers to experiencing a chronic lack ...

Spontaneous facial self-touching may be an evolutionary, self-soothing behavior that helps regulate stress, according to researchers from the University of Houston and Virginia Tech. Subscribe to our ...