When was the last time someone you loved hugged you or held your hand? How do you explain that feeling to someone? The sense of warmth, comfort, and connection those moments of physical affection hold are unmatched.
Physical touch not only creates small moments of connection but also has a lasting impact on an individual’s well-being. A recent study on marriage and motherhood surveyed this topic, and the results were profound.
Who says romance is dead? Research shows physical affection is alive and well in marriages!
When Wheatley Institute and the Institute of Family Studies conducted their study, they found a significant link between marriage and physical touch.
Married women reported much higher levels of regular physical touch than those who aren’t: 47% of married moms and 49% of married women without children, compared to only 23% of unmarried moms and 13% of unmarried childless women.
The study then dove into specific areas of physical touch, where marriage seemed to be the defining factor.
When the participants were asked if they were likely to hold hands frequently, married women responded significantly more likely than their unmarried counterparts: married moms were almost twice as likely to hold hands frequently as unmarried moms. Likewise, and even more substantially, married childless women are more than four times as likely to hold hands as unmarried women without children.
In addition, 48% of married women with children and 49% of married childless women report regularly cuddling or snuggling with someone, while only 26% of unmarried moms and 14% of unmarried childless women can say the same.
Hugs and kisses? Same story! Married women dominated the charts.
These survey statistics make it clear that marriage plays a significant role in the level of physical touch women receive on a regular basis. What does this have to do with happiness and overall well-being?
Physical touch is listed as one of the five love languages for a reason. Can regular physical touch increase our happiness and satisfaction in life?
The study explored this idea and found an undeniable connection. Women who receive high levels of regular physical touch reported being “very happy” three times more than the women who receive low levels of physical touch.
How can a simple physical act, such as holding hands, affect our emotions and overall well-being?
This concept of physical touch relating to total health is nothing new. Think about newborn babies. One of the first things nurses encourage new parents to do is “skin-to-skin” contact. This releases oxytocin, which helps calm and relax both the baby and the mother.
Physical touch is crucial for a baby’s development. It improves their physiological and neurological functions, meets their social-emotional needs and creates early bonds with their loved ones.
Even as adults, we don’t outgrow this need for physical affection. A gentle touch or warm embrace from a loved one can still have a deeply positive impact on our overall well-being: socially, physically, and emotionally.
God created us as human beings in physical bodies. Our bodies and minds were intended to function in unison with one another. We were made for relationships, not only with God, but with others.
He designed our bodies to respond when we receive positive affection from loved ones, releasing a feeling of love and connection.
When we look at Jesus’ time on earth, though he did not have a romantic relationship, he showed love to those around him through physical touch. He laid hands on people to heal them, he washed his disciples’ feet, and he embraced the children who came to him.
It was a tangible way for him to connect with and show compassion for others. We can learn from his example.
Honestly, these results shouldn’t surprise us. It makes sense that sharing life with another individual you love would result in higher levels of regular physical affection, and that regular physical affection would make you feel happier and more loved.
Yet, society has seemingly taken on the idea that marriage eventually results in a platonic, unhappy relationship. This study has proven otherwise, showing that happy and fulfilling marriages are much more common than many people think.
Having a loving and physically affectionate spouse can be incredibly beneficial for a woman’s overall well-being. The survey on motherhood and marriage showed that joy truly can be found at home, as women thrive and flourish in their roles as wives and mothers.