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The power of touch goes beyond helping parents and children bond. Research has proven that physical touch is an essential human need. Positive, nurturing touch, such as a hug or a snuggle, connects us to others and helps us to feel accepted and loved. Touch that is loving, kind and wanted by the child, plays a key role in healthy child development.

In infants, the positive effects of touch are widely acknowledged, and a 2019 study at the National University of Singapore shows that benefits extend into older age groups. Researchers observed that activity in the “social brain” was stronger for kids who received more tactile attention from their parents. These networks of the brain come into play during social situations, such as showing interest in other people and trying to see the world through someone else’s eyes, an expression of empathy.

Nurturing physical touch promotes development in regulating young children’s emotions and stress responses. Physical touch, such as holding and rocking, are the most effective ways to calm and soothe a distressed baby. Repeated experiences of being soothed helps prepare a child’s ability to self-regulate and calm their strong feelings, when they are upset. Children who are able to quiet their emotions are better able to understand that other people have feelings and thoughts, increasing their ability to have more positive relationships and friendships.

Nurturing touch also supports a child’s prosocial development — learning to be kind, caring and helpful. The study found that children whose parents hugged them more often when they were upset were more capable of concern and caring about others. Infants whose parents provided more positive touch at 18 months were more likely to demonstrate prosocial behavior when they reached 24-30 months, suggesting that nurturing touch helps children develop important relationship skills.

This type of positive touch actually wires the brain for social success. Another study found maternal touch during play among five-year-olds was associated with greater connectivity between regions of the brain associated with social behavior. Gentle, nurturing touch, which is sensed by nerve endings beneath the skin, stimulates areas of the brain associated with social and emotional development and strengthens those neural connections. Though the study was with moms, fathers can also provide these benefits.

In addition to improving brain development, nurturing touch releases the hormone oxytocin, which is associated with calm moods and related positive behaviors. Research at Stanford University showed infant massage can improve babies’ sleep, reduce fussiness, increase relaxation for parent and child, as well as improve lactation for mothers, while reducing their postpartum depression. And there are other physical benefits.

Researchers in the UK found that loving touch, such as a slow caress or gentle stroking, increases the brain’s ability to construct a sense of body ownership and plays a big part in creating and sustaining a healthy sense of self. Much like the instinct to lovingly pet an animal, gently touching another person is an instinctive gesture that happens automatically in healthy, loving relationships of all types. Being touched makes us feel safe and comfortable in our environment. The UK study confirms that touch can create signals that help us monitor our equilibrium and the body’s ability to sense movement, action and location — it can literally make someone more comfortable in their own skin. Conversely, a decreased sensitivity to signals produced by nurturing touch has been linked to body image problems, unexplained pain, even anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Since positive physical touch most often comes from loved ones, the findings make it clear that close relationships play a key role in building a sense of self.

In a nutshell, science now backs up what Bruce Springsteen professed in his classic song: everybody needs “just a little of that human touch.” There is a proven and innate need for human touch and loving affection at every stage of our lives for healthy emotional and neurobiological development. So, hug those babies no matter what the age… for their health and yours.