Self Care: Touch - Ten fingers, ten toes...oh' the places you will go!

Welcome (back) to our self care 2022 wellness tips. There are many self care rituals and regimes that we salute. This year we wanted to keep it simple, returning to the basics. With minimalism a foundation at LovEd Wellness, our third tip is: touch. Research shows that touch is fundamental to human communication, bonding and health.

Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, believes that touch, being one of the love languages, ‘fosters a sense of security and belonging in any relationship’.

Neuroscientist and author of Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart and Mind, David Lipman, says ‘the most critical function of interpersonal touch is to build trust and cooperation’. Emphasizing the need for touch from infant to elder, in interview with Tony Robbins, he says ‘touch can improve mood, cognitive function, reduce stress and lead to a better quality of life in the aged’.

My sister and I witnessed this first hand, last weekend. My sisters and I heard our Grandma, Ida, was not feeling well. Now, for many seniors, the past two years, in a pandemic, has been one long, cold Winter. Isolation and loneliness are very real.

“You-oo-ve got the magic touch You make me glow so much It casts a spell, it rings a bell The magic touch"

Grandma needs a visit

One of my sister’s had been planning a trip for months to visit Grandma but upon hearing she wasn’t feeling well, Becky dropped everything and flew across the country and we road tripped up to see her. Upon arriving, Becky and Grams embraced each other for minutes...they just kept hugging. Grams was overjoyed and surprised, it was beautiful. Together, we enjoyed spending time engaged in conversation, asking questions about her childhood, reminiscing about Gramps, making home cooked meals and sipping wine. The greatest of all gifts though, was our presence and touch. We hugged her, held her hand, massaged her legs, gave her a manicure, gently rubbed her arm, held her face, wrapped an arm around her and supported her whenever needed. She went from a two, to an eight out of ten, in four days!

Research shows that touch can:

• Ease pain and discomfort

• Reduce stress and fatigue

• Lessen anxiety and depression

• Boost immune system response

• Lower blood pressure

• Increase circulation

• Slow heart rate

Now my sister and I showed up with a lotta love and energy, which helps, plus arriving with wine and chocolate never hurts (it might have been the wine and chocolate, lol :) but one thing we do know is that Grams spirit improved simply by being held and loved up by us.

After years of being encouraged to stay six feet apart and wear masks, it’s time to lean in, get closer and build intimacy again. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through human touch.

Whether a high five, hand shake or elbow bump, it is time to begin touching again. Touch is a form of compassion, an exchange of energy, a giving and receiving that connects.

Take Dr. Gary Chapman's free quiz here to discover if touch is one of your top love languages. Either way, the research is abundant, the need has never been greater and my charge this month for all, is that we find ways to touch our friends, family and lovEd ones in gentle, connection affirming ways that strengthen the human experience and improve our overall health! Get your feels on!