For a wealthy woman, her countless properties or billions of dollars may be the most important thing. But perhaps, at some point in her life, her husband’s health will be compromised by a serious illness. Then she will realize that what truly matters to her is the life of that loved one. Because he gives her love unconditionally.
That woman, now a prosperous “poor” woman, will understand that in a moment of extreme stress. When she reaches out to her husband, she feels immediate relief, according to scientific studies. These studies, considered the first on how human contact affects the neural response to threatening situations, have discovered the calming effect of touch.
Also this finding has been verified through scans of deep brain areas involved in registering emotional and physical alerts.
The relief women felt was significantly greater when their husbands touched their hands than when a stranger held theirs. And those who were especially close to their partners received the most comfort, the study adds. Moreover this research helps us explain one of the most difficult situations in the social sciences. Why men and women in stable relationships generally enjoy better health than those who are single.
How can this discovery be explained? Men and women in relationships tend to limit each other’s excesses. Such as drinking or smoking, but not enough to explain their better health compared to single people, according to the researchers.
This is because it is a highly imaginative and cutting-edge science that links this complex stress response to different areas of the brain. American scientists, who published this study in the journal Psychological Science, say they recruited 16 couples. Classified as happy in their married lives and gave them a questionnaire with questions about how they dealt with intimacy and shared interests within their consensual union.
Placed in an MRI machine and aware that they would periodically receive a mild electric shock to one ankle, the women felt noticeable apprehension. Brain scans showed spikes in activation in regions involved in pain anticipation. So the intensification of physical manifestations, and the regulation of negative emotions, among other systems. However, the moment they felt their husband’s hand, the MRI clearly showed that the level of activity dropped in all the brain areas that had been preparing for the threat.
A stranger’s hand also provided some comfort, but to a lesser degree. “The effect of this simple gesture of social support is that the brain and body don’t have to work as hard. They’re less stressed in response to a threatening situation,” says James A. Coan, a psychologist at the University of Virginia and lead author of the study. Relaxing in the face of a perceived threat isn’t always a good idea. The brain’s alert system, which triggers the release of stress hormones that increase heart rate and send blood to the muscles. Also prepares people to fight or flee for their lives, the researchers note.
But this system often becomes overactive in situations that are pressing but not life-threatening. Such as relationship worries, crucial deadlines, financial problems, or certain obligations.
Easy access to affectionate contact in these moments—which might be in the form of a hug, a massage, or simply holding hands—”is very positive, very reassuring,” Coan says. The most comforting contact occurred between “supercouples.” Whose results on the marriage questionnaire reflected an extremely intimate relationship, the study found.
Futhermore the brain region involved in pain anticipation proved especially sensitive to this close couple bond. Indicating that contact between a close couple can mitigate the sensation of physical pain, which is related to the level of anticipation.
This also explains why the withdrawal or lack of affectionate contact can be so overwhelming. It’s worth summarizing, then, that not only within a couple, but also with friends, neighbors, and coworkers, we should cultivate highly affectionate relationships to maintain a comforting life. Not only in terms of material comforts, but also in a world full of affection.
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