A path breaking study by Neuro Scientists has revealed that a Husband’s comforting touch can be a perfect stress buster to married women. According to the study, those who establish instant communication by reaching out and touching their husband’s hands, feel immediate relief. A handy tip on how human touch can alleviate stressful situations, even threatening ones!
A note-worthy feature of the study revealed that relief from a loved one’s touch recorded intense soothing sensations, far more than a cursory touch by a stranger. These feelings of relief were more pronounced in close companionship marriages where couples shared a special bond. The calming effect of the touch was amply reflected in the scans of sections in the brain that are involved with registering emotions. These findings further support the established yet puzzling truth that married men and women are far healthier than their single counterparts.A study conducted by Neuroscientists from University of Wisconsin and the University of Virginia, elicited response from 16 happily married couples, with a thread-bare questionnaire on intimacy, adjustability, relationship, coping mechanisms and interests. Further, an MRI scanning machine was used to record and map emotions related to pain, excitement, threat perception, and negative emotions. The positive effect of a soothing touch from a beloved was easily perceptible in the scan readings, especially during an emotional situation, when a comforting touch from a loved one calmed frayed nerves putting things back into perspective. Extremely close couples could also reduce physical pain by a simple comforting touch.
Dr Ronald Glaser, Director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University, has expressed amazement at this superior science that has conclusively connected response to stress with areas of the brain. A significant off-shoot of this study throws light on the negative impact of love-less marriages or relationships that can lead to emotional debilitation, plunging one’s quality of life. By far, the most threatening emotion was rejection from a beloved or the fear of it.
