Sep 29, 2008 6:59 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Touching And Stress
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Stress is one of the top health complaints for New Yorkers, and there's new way it can be treated without medication. All you need is a caring pair of hands. New research shows, a supportive, warm touch lowers stress and blood pressure.
"It's very powerful, touching, it's part of healing," one woman said.
Dr. Stephan Quentzel from Beth Israel Medical Center explains, "Chronic stress in particular is related to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, across the board major killers."
"Just touching or hugging a friend, you know, you can feel that emotion kind of drain off," said Michelle Hill, Union Square resident.
A study followed married couples and found that massage and other non-sexual caring forms of touch lowered stress hormones and blood pressure especially among men. It also increased a hormone called oxytocin which has a calming effect.
"Changes in the brain, changes in stress hormone levels, changes in how our blood clots, all of it is tied to stress levels," Dr. Quentzel said.
For years, health care workers have noted the healing power of what is called "the laying on of hands." Reports have shown that regular physical contact helps patients heal better, faster. "It does relieve stress, definitely, like affection and just human contact," one man said.
"It's not like you have to go to the doctor or go to the yoga studio or go to the guru, you can just go to your wife, go to your husband and everyday apply small and meaningful ways to break stress, improve health," Dr. Quentzel advised.
More research is needed to confirm these results pertain to non-couples or professional massages. In the meantime, being more affectionate with your partner can certainly do no harm.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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