No-fuss anxiety tips #11
Connect with cuddles
Welcome to blog number 11 of 20 in this quick-read series on anxiety. Each post aims to give you actionable ideas on how you can get a handle on your anxiety.
What these tips won’t do is explore the origins and purpose of anxiety for you – this type of deeper exploration is what therapy offers. That said, having strategies for managing anxiety is a great place to start. Each article is designed to be quick read, no-fuss. So, let’s get into technique number 11: connect with cuddles.
Connect with cuddles
Consensual cuddles prompt the release of oxytocin - the feel-good “cuddle hormone” in our brains.
How do you feel about cuddles and hugs? For lots of people the physical touch of a warm hug feels soothing. That’s because a consensual hug with someone we love or feel positive feelings towards can result in a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, and an increase in oxytocin – a hormone that has calming affects. In fact, oxytocin is often nicknamed “the cuddle hormone”.
Not everyone enjoys a hug, of course. That doesn’t mean you’re exempt from getting some oxytocin goodness in your life. There are other creative ways to benefit from the power of the cuddle hormone, without the need to embrace another human.
It’s been shown that spending time with animals can boost our health and wellbeing, and that being around pets can lead to reduced levels of anxiety. Dog owners who interact with their pet have been found to have higher levels of oxytocin in their blood. So, the act of stroking a cat or cuddling up to a dog can help towards that oxytocin boost, and with managing anxiety. If you don’t own a pet, consider volunteering at an animal rescue shelter or walking a neighbour’s dog.
If animals are not your things, research also shows that gazing into the eyes of someone you love and sharing a meal with a friend or someone you feel warm towards prompts the release of oxytocin.
Other cuddle hormone boosters include:
Singing with others
Taking part in martial arts
Giving or receiving a massage
Stroking your own skin
I hope you’ve found something useful in this short blog. If you’ve got an appetite for more, then do look out for other blogs within this anxiety-themed series. You’ll find the first of these posts here. And, if you’d like to talk through how counselling can help you towards a deeper exploration of your anxiety, do get in touch. We can work together through online counselling or through face-to-face counselling at my therapy room in Preston.