Happy Sabbath Saints!
That's So Touching! (Vibrant Life Magazine)
Finding ways to add more meaningful touch into your life will help boost your immune system, reduce depression and anxiety, and regulate sleep and digestion. 1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV) says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
Pleasant physical touch releases a feel-good hormone that enhances emotional and social bonds and decreases fear and anxiety. 15 minutes with a therapy dog helps cancer patients experience improved emotional and social health, stroking your own arms or face has been shown to decrease stress hormone levels as much as receiving a hug from an acquaintance.
Each of your fingertips has about 3,000 touch receptors. Infants who were held while having their own blood drawn showed 82% less crying and 65% reduced grimacing compared to infants who were alone, swaddled in a blanket. Teens with ADHD who received a massage on 10 school days showed improved focus, less fidgeting, and reported feeling happier.
Romantic partners who hold hands and then hug each other right before a stressful experience have reduced blood pressure and heart rates. Romans 12:2 says, "Be transformed by the renewal of your mind."
Many Blessings,
Sandra Jackson
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