Happy Hug Day 2025: How a 20-second hug can improve your mental and physical health?

A simple 20-second hug can reduce stress, improve emotional bonds, and enhance overall well-being. Discover the science behind this powerful embrace and its surprising health benefits.  

Hug Day is celebrated on February 12th during Valentine's Week. On this day, people express their love by hugging their loved ones. Many don't pay much attention to hugs. But do you know how many benefits a simple hug offers? Even a 20-second hug is said to be very good. So, let's find out the benefits.

1. Reduces anxiety

These days, many people are stressed due to work, both at the office and at home. They cultivate anxiety and develop health problems. For such people, just a 20-second hug is enough. That anxiety will decrease. Not only that, it increases self-confidence. 

2. Improve your mental state
If you hug your partner for just 20 seconds, it improves your mental state. Also, it is beneficial for the heart. This has been revealed in research.

3. Reduces physical pain
Hugging your partner is like 6 therapeutic touch therapies. In such a situation, hugging when there is pain in the body produces such hormones in the body, which gives you relief from pain.

What does the study say?
According to a study called 'Warm Hugs', if a person hugs their partner for just 20 seconds, it helps in reducing stress.

University of North Carolina study

A study on hugging here found that hugging releases a hormone called oxytocin. According to the study, couples who hug each other have a normal heart rate during stress.

What is the situation of couples who don't hug?

In this study, the heart rate of couples who did not hug each other increased by 10 beats per minute. It is noteworthy that their stress levels also appeared to increase.