The Benefits of Human Touch

The Benefits of Human Touch. By Zulet Romero. A person and person holding signs Description automatically generated with medium confidence.

Terms to know. Cortisol “the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or harmful in a fight-or-flight situation.”(Mayo clinic. 1) Dopamine Is a neurotransmitter that is made in the brain, it is a chemical that sends messages between neurons. It is typically released when the brain is expecting a reward. Dopamine is commonly known as the ” Happy hormone”. Oxytocin is a hormone and a neurotransmitter which is typically associated with breastfeeding and labor . It is also associated with relationship-building. It is also most commonly known as the “love hormone,” levels of oxytocin also increase during hugging. Skin-to-Skin between mother and baby Skin-to-Skin is when a baby is born and after birth is immediately placed on the mothers chest, many benefits can be taken from this action for both mother and baby.

Fast Fact #1 After birth, instantaneous uninterrupted skin to skin contact between mother and baby are beneficial mentally and physically for both mother and baby..

Fast fact #2 Hugs are beneficial not just for the heart and soul of everyone, but especially cancer patients, and or cancer survivors by reducing stress, pain, and making the immune system stronger..

Levels. MICRO : hug a loved one/someone who gives you comfort close to you. Not only when you need it but to release those hormones for better health ! Mezzo: Hug people you do not see often whenever you do see them , this could be work/school. Let the pregnant women in your life know about the benefits of Skin-to-Skin Macro: Create an organization that volunteers to give hugs to those who do not have people to hug them( Cancer patients) , in a clinical setting Create an organization that promotes Skin-to-Skin in hospitals, talk to soon to be mothers about the benefits Low profit communities ..

Who ?!. Group/Population: Pregnant Women in low-income communities Challenges and strengths: low-income communities sometimes do not have further education about these things that they may offer, such as Skin-to-Skin. A strength is there is place to grow and create an organization to inform. Group/Population: Cancer patients in everywhere! Spread love Challenges and strengths: People may be skeptical if they do not have the information times. about the power of hugs! The strength is that if there was a way to create this organization and inform it could bring a lot of happiness to people going through tough.

The Benefits. The benefits of bringing awareness to the tool of human touch into these situations are to bring happiness, less stress, and love. In other words, increase the make of dopamine, decrease the levels of cortisol, and release oxytocin. Another benefit is once people are informed; it is a cycle that will carry on from person to person..

Make IT HAPPEN!. Background pattern Description automatically generated.

Reference. Phillips, R. (2013, June 6). The sacred hour: Uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth . Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https:// www.sciencedirect.com /science/article/ pii /S1527336913000299 . Kos, K. (2020, September 1). Hugs for health: Your way to a stronger immune system . Primal Musings. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https:// primalmusings.com /health/hugs-for- health-your-way-to-a-stronger-immune-system/. Team, M. (2019, February 13). Embrace hugs for your health! Golden Valley Health Centers. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://www.gvhc.org/embrace-hugs-for-your-health/. Commins-Tzoumakas, K. (2019, August 30). Hug harder . 21st Century Oncology. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://www.21co.com/hug-harder/. MediLexicon International. (n.d.). Oxytocin: The love hormone? Medical News Today. Retrieved October 22, 2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275795. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, July 8). Chronic stress puts your health at risk . Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 22, 2021, from https:// www.mayoclinic.org /healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037..