Cuddling releases oxytocin—the love hormone—which can ward off depression and loneliness, reduce pain and even lower blood pressure, according to research. So in our culture, with more and more couples divorced and lose ties in our communities, isn’t it only logical that there’s now a “cuddle movement,” complete with “cuddle parties” (for pajama-clad people gathering in a living room) and “professional snugglers (who will cuddle, comfort and caress for $80 an hour). While cozying up to a stranger might sound weird and paying for it might even sound fishy, cuddle proponents say its benefits are vast. “Research bears out that touch is as important as food,” says Chandler Yorkhall, integrative medicine practitioner at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. “Medicine doesn’t have everything we need; we can also benefit from things that touch into our primal human needs, such as touch.” Here’s a report about the rise of the cuddle movement in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Feeling a need for physical contact, some are cuddling up with strangers
More of Today's Solutions
How this city in Illinois plans to stop homelessness by the end of the year
Less than a decade ago, more than 700 people were homeless in the small, 150,000 person city of Rockford, Illinois, about 90 miles northwest ...
Read MoreThis map shows what Indigenous land you live on
If you’ve attended a virtual lecture or presentation lately you may have noticed that the speakers initiated the event with an acknowledgment of which ...
Read MoreMore on beavers and rewilding
We decided to dust off and update this innovative solution to restoring habitats with the most industrious aquatic mammal: beavers. At The Optimist Daily, ...
Read More9 driving changes you can make to save more and burn less
Gas prices keep going up. While many of us can’t yet afford an electric vehicle, and we still need to get places, there are ...
Read More
