Yes, You Can (and Should) Give Yourself a Hug
Hugs can provide a lot of comfort.
They can help you feel closer to someone you care about, whether that’s a partner, friend, or child. They can also increase feelings of happiness and fulfillment by reinforcing your knowledge that other people care about you.
When circumstances prevent you from spending time with loved ones, you might feel pretty desperate for physical affection. Touch is a basic need, so this is absolutely normal. Going without, especially for a longer period of time than usual, can have a pretty big impact on your emotional health.
There’s some good news here. Getting a hug from your nearest and dearest will help you feel better pretty quickly. In the meantime, if you really need a hug and you’re on your own, why not try giving yourself one?
We get it. Self-hugging might sound a little awkward, even silly, but it’s absolutely a real thing.
Hugging yourself has serious benefits
Like hugging, self-hugging can have some pretty big benefits, so it’s a great way to give yourself some love.
It can help relieve pain
According to research from 2011, hugging yourself could help reduce pain.
