What would happen if humans could not feel the heat of boiling water or the path up a foggy staircase? Life would certainly be more challenging without the sense of touch.
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Massage helps boost immunity. (Photo: marthastewart/VNE) |
Imagine a newborn child who is not held; as they grow up, they do not receive guidance from teachers holding their hands; when they start working, they miss the friendly pats on the back and handshakes from colleagues; and when they reach the age of love, they are without a partner’s tender caresses. The life of such an individual would indeed be tragic!
All of these gestures belong to the sense of touch—a critical sense that is often underappreciated.
Touch is the first sense to develop in a fetus. It operates continuously, constantly perceiving the surrounding world, while vision—which is often given more importance—has at least one-third of the day to rest during sleep.
Shaping Memory and Health
Dr. Saul Schanberg from Duke University (USA) studied the role of touch in newborn mice by separating them from their mothers for about 45 minutes shortly after birth. The results showed that these mice experienced significant biological changes. Growth hormones and essential enzymes in their bodies dropped significantly and only returned to normal levels when the mother was reunited with them. Clearly, the lack of contact through the mother mouse’s grooming led to these changes.
In another study on premature infants, psychologist Tiffany Field from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami (USA) also acknowledged the positive role of touch. They massaged premature infants for about 45 minutes each day, divided into three sessions. After just 10 days, the infants receiving massages gained weight 47% faster than those who did not. They were also more alert, slept better, and left the neonatal care center six days earlier. A month later, the massage group exhibited superior physical and mental skills. Tiffany explained this phenomenon by noting that massage stimulated the release of several important hormones (which are naturally present in full-term infants), notably those that aid in food absorption.
Scientists have found that when infants suck on objects, they are not merely tasting them; they are also using their tongue and lips—the most sensitive tactile areas—to thoroughly assess other properties. This ability to determine distance, shape, and hardness through touch helps infants develop their brains and other senses, particularly vision.
Psychological Impact
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Touch conveys many messages. (Photo: marthastewart/VNE) |
Touching and caressing occur more frequently during childhood than at any other stage. In adolescence and high school, these gestures happen less often, but most people begin to engage in “contact” with the opposite sex afterward. This activity intensifies until marriage. Research by Professor Frank Williss from the University of Missouri (USA) shows that before marriage, men initiate touch, but after marriage, it is the opposite. In happy couples, touching and caressing happen frequently. Successful, confident individuals feel more comfortable and willing to touch others than shy, unstable people. In everyday life, women accept and engage in contact more than men. They are also more sensitive to caresses. Conversely, men often react more tensely to touching, especially when it is “uninvited.” Touch itself carries significant messages and can have considerable psychological effects.
Even when unnoticed, touch can have surprising psychological effects. Williss found that when customers were invited to try pizza at a newly opened restaurant, those who were touched on the shoulder or arm by the salesperson were more likely to make a purchase than those who did not receive any contact. Similarly, pedestrians asked to sign a petition were more likely to comply when gently touched.
Disease Prevention
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Children feel happy when touched. (Photo: marthastewart/VNE) |
Without hugs and caresses, individuals are more susceptible to mental and physical illnesses. Dr. Michael Meaney from McGill University (Canada) discovered that when newborn mice are stroked during their first three weeks of life, they develop more receptors that control glucocorticoid production—substances that cause muscle spasms, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, hinder growth, and destroy brain cells. Remarkably, the receptors generated by stroking during infancy persist throughout life. Meaney also found that mice that were not stroked as babies often suffered from dementia and cerebral palsy in old age.
For patients, the caring touch of nurses and loved ones can reduce anxiety about illness, limit headaches, and potentially speed up recovery. Touch can even stabilize heart rates and prevent arrhythmias.
Experts believe that touch is a miraculous remedy. When embraced, the level of hemoglobin in the blood significantly increases, resulting in enhanced oxygen flow to other organs.
During his research, Dr. Meaney had a heartfelt experience. He always hugged his little daughter and affirmed: “The evidence I gathered shows that hugging my daughter helps her remember my face. Touch will shape her future.”
