When it comes to holding hands with the beloved, everyone has their favorite way: interlaced fingers, or just placing their palms. No matter what your style is, or how damp or dry your hands are, we all know how good it is to fit our hands in the hands of the loved one.
But why, when upset or afraid, instinctively seek out our partner's hand? On the other hand, why do we always take our partner's hand to comfort them when something bad happens?
A recent University of Virginia study, coordinated by psychologist Dr. James Coan, showed that the answer is not in our fingers but in our brains.
The study involved 16 happily married women who experienced stressful situations while monitoring their brain activity with a functional magnetic resonance imaging machine. After administering an electric shock to each woman, the psychologist measured the resulting activity in the area of their stress response brains. Then he repeated the shock while the women held a stranger's hand. And then again, holding her husband's hand.
The results showed less activity in the stress-related areas of women's brains, even when holding a stranger's hand, and much less stress when holding a husband's hand.
So the next time your loved one is upset, consider holding hands with him for as long as you can. This will make him de-stress. Or, while eating, in the car, or even watching TV, take the time to hold your sweetheart's hand. It's good for your relationship and for your health and his.
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