HUGS: A Four Letter Word that Can Change the World | Leigh Ann Hello | TEDxUniversityofWindsor

I’m a hugger yep one of those I tend to

I’m a hugger yep one of those I tend to start and end most of my conversations

start and end most of my conversations

start and end most of my conversations with a hug now I know that some of you

with a hug now I know that some of you

with a hug now I know that some of you guys I can tell you’re huggers too and

guys I can tell you’re huggers too and

guys I can tell you’re huggers too and that’s awesome but I can also tell that

that’s awesome but I can also tell that

that’s awesome but I can also tell that some of you guys are thinking I’m glad

some of you guys are thinking I’m glad

some of you guys are thinking I’m glad she’s up there and not down here

she’s up there and not down here

she’s up there and not down here invading my personal space and that’s

invading my personal space and that’s

invading my personal space and that’s fine but I’m really hoping that at the

fine but I’m really hoping that at the

fine but I’m really hoping that at the end of this short talk you two are gonna

end of this short talk you two are gonna

end of this short talk you two are gonna see the benefits of hugging because hugs

see the benefits of hugging because hugs

see the benefits of hugging because hugs really are a four-letter word that could

really are a four-letter word that could

really are a four-letter word that could change our world

change our world

change our world now I’m gonna be really honest it feels

now I’m gonna be really honest it feels

now I’m gonna be really honest it feels weird to start a conversation with you

weird to start a conversation with you

weird to start a conversation with you without giving you a hug

without giving you a hug

without giving you a hug so could everybody do me a favor could

so could everybody do me a favor could

so could everybody do me a favor could everybody please just stand up real

everybody please just stand up real

everybody please just stand up real quick

quick

quick seriously I’m not gonna run around and

seriously I’m not gonna run around and

seriously I’m not gonna run around and give everybody a hug but if everybody

give everybody a hug but if everybody

give everybody a hug but if everybody could take their right hand and put it

could take their right hand and put it

could take their right hand and put it on their left shoulder and their left

on their left shoulder and their left

on their left shoulder and their left hand on their right shoulder and squeeze

hand on their right shoulder and squeeze

hand on their right shoulder and squeeze and you can consider that a big hug for

and you can consider that a big hug for

and you can consider that a big hug for me to you and now we can officially

me to you and now we can officially

me to you and now we can officially begin it’s still good okay so cheesy

begin it’s still good okay so cheesy

begin it’s still good okay so cheesy right maybe but it could also be the

right maybe but it could also be the

right maybe but it could also be the start to a happier healthier and longer

start to a happier healthier and longer

start to a happier healthier and longer life for each of us let me explain in

life for each of us let me explain in

life for each of us let me explain in preparation of doing this talk I did a

preparation of doing this talk I did a

preparation of doing this talk I did a ton of research because see I knew that

ton of research because see I knew that

ton of research because see I knew that I love hugs and they feel good for

I love hugs and they feel good for

I love hugs and they feel good for huggers like me but I thought what if

huggers like me but I thought what if

huggers like me but I thought what if you’re one of the many people that don’t

you’re one of the many people that don’t

you’re one of the many people that don’t like physical contact and are shy and

like physical contact and are shy and

like physical contact and are shy and anxious around others do you really need

anxious around others do you really need

anxious around others do you really need to hug and even if you do would you

to hug and even if you do would you

to hug and even if you do would you benefit the same way that I do well the

benefit the same way that I do well the

benefit the same way that I do well the research whether you listen to

research whether you listen to

research whether you listen to naturopaths

naturopaths

naturopaths or psychologist or biologists or read

or psychologist or biologists or read

or psychologist or biologists or read any of the amount of studies that are

any of the amount of studies that are

any of the amount of studies that are out there you’re gonna find that the

out there you’re gonna find that the

out there you’re gonna find that the results are unanimous that hugging is as

results are unanimous that hugging is as

results are unanimous that hugging is as vital to our health and our well-being

vital to our health and our well-being

vital to our health and our well-being as proper diet and exercise so guys we

as proper diet and exercise so guys we

as proper diet and exercise so guys we all really need to get comfortable with

all really need to get comfortable with

all really need to get comfortable with it now let me explain to you what

it now let me explain to you what

it now let me explain to you what happens

happens

happens with our body when we hug when we hug

with our body when we hug when we hug

with our body when we hug when we hug and I mean a genuine firm heart-to-heart

and I mean a genuine firm heart-to-heart

and I mean a genuine firm heart-to-heart hug not one of those tap on the back

hug not one of those tap on the back

hug not one of those tap on the back hugs we put pressure on our skin and our

hugs we put pressure on our skin and our

hugs we put pressure on our skin and our skin is full of pressure receptors or

skin is full of pressure receptors or

skin is full of pressure receptors or for you science geeks it’s the pacinian

for you science geeks it’s the pacinian

for you science geeks it’s the pacinian or lamellar corpuscles but guys all that

or lamellar corpuscles but guys all that

or lamellar corpuscles but guys all that is is the nerve endings underneath our

is is the nerve endings underneath our

is is the nerve endings underneath our skin that detect vibration and pressure

skin that detect vibration and pressure

skin that detect vibration and pressure so when we hug we’re putting pressure on

so when we hug we’re putting pressure on

so when we hug we’re putting pressure on our skin activating those receptors and

our skin activating those receptors and

our skin activating those receptors and it sends a message to our brain

it sends a message to our brain

it sends a message to our brain specifically to the vagus nerve in our

specifically to the vagus nerve in our

specifically to the vagus nerve in our brain and the vagus nerve controls a lot

brain and the vagus nerve controls a lot

brain and the vagus nerve controls a lot it controls things like our heart our

it controls things like our heart our

it controls things like our heart our lungs our digestive tract it even

lungs our digestive tract it even

lungs our digestive tract it even regulates our emotions that control

regulates our emotions that control

regulates our emotions that control things like depression and anxiety so

things like depression and anxiety so

things like depression and anxiety so when this vagus nerve is activated it

when this vagus nerve is activated it

when this vagus nerve is activated it actually releases a bunch of feel-good

actually releases a bunch of feel-good

actually releases a bunch of feel-good hormones into our brain specifically

hormones into our brain specifically

hormones into our brain specifically oxytocin which is considered the love

oxytocin which is considered the love

oxytocin which is considered the love hormone and this makes sense this is why

hormone and this makes sense this is why

hormone and this makes sense this is why when we hug we feel loved and we feel

when we hug we feel loved and we feel

when we hug we feel loved and we feel supported and we create bonds with one

supported and we create bonds with one

supported and we create bonds with one another when we hug but because that

another when we hug but because that

another when we hug but because that vagus nerve was activated then we also

vagus nerve was activated then we also

vagus nerve was activated then we also get a huge amount of health benefits

get a huge amount of health benefits

get a huge amount of health benefits some of those are lowered blood pressure

some of those are lowered blood pressure

some of those are lowered blood pressure lowers levels of cortisol or the stress

lowers levels of cortisol or the stress

lowers levels of cortisol or the stress hormone

hormone

hormone we have lessened anxiety tension even

we have lessened anxiety tension even

we have lessened anxiety tension even depression we can have improved ability

depression we can have improved ability

depression we can have improved ability to tolerate perceived pain we can

to tolerate perceived pain we can

to tolerate perceived pain we can improve our immune system which means

improve our immune system which means

improve our immune system which means that we can prevent illness and we can

that we can prevent illness and we can

that we can prevent illness and we can aid in the healing of wounds and even

aid in the healing of wounds and even

aid in the healing of wounds and even the common cold and guys this is all

the common cold and guys this is all

the common cold and guys this is all just by hugging now today in the digital

just by hugging now today in the digital

just by hugging now today in the digital world as wonderful as it is and as

world as wonderful as it is and as

world as wonderful as it is and as powerful as it is we’re losing that

powerful as it is we’re losing that

powerful as it is we’re losing that vital human connectivity and we’re

vital human connectivity and we’re

vital human connectivity and we’re getting this false sense of security

getting this false sense of security

getting this false sense of security with our social profiles and the feeling

with our social profiles and the feeling

with our social profiles and the feeling of belonging and love these are base

of belonging and love these are base

of belonging and love these are base like human needs and the less time that

like human needs and the less time that

like human needs and the less time that we’re spending with with each other

we’re spending with with each other

we’re spending with with each other one-on-one the less were fulfilling this

one-on-one the less were fulfilling this

one-on-one the less were fulfilling this basic need and it’s leading us to a

basic need and it’s leading us to a

basic need and it’s leading us to a society that’s full of anxiety bullying

society that’s full of anxiety bullying

society that’s full of anxiety bullying even illness and we’re seeing it

even illness and we’re seeing it

even illness and we’re seeing it everywhere so now I know that some of

everywhere so now I know that some of

everywhere so now I know that some of you guys are thinking okay let me get

you guys are thinking okay let me get

you guys are thinking okay let me get this straight

this straight

this straight she wants me to interact with strangers

she wants me to interact with strangers

she wants me to interact with strangers to boost this feel-good hormone yeah

to boost this feel-good hormone yeah

to boost this feel-good hormone yeah just the thought of it gives me anxiety

just the thought of it gives me anxiety

just the thought of it gives me anxiety so how is that gonna happen and maybe it

so how is that gonna happen and maybe it

so how is that gonna happen and maybe it won’t for you right away

won’t for you right away

won’t for you right away so I do have a suggestion for you of

so I do have a suggestion for you of

so I do have a suggestion for you of something to do until you’re ready so

something to do until you’re ready so

something to do until you’re ready so there’s actually I like to think of hugs

there’s actually I like to think of hugs

there’s actually I like to think of hugs in two different ways there’s the

in two different ways there’s the

in two different ways there’s the physical hug and that’s the general

physical hug and that’s the general

physical hug and that’s the general embrace that we all know and love or

embrace that we all know and love or

embrace that we all know and love or some of us love and then there’s mental

some of us love and then there’s mental

some of us love and then there’s mental hugs and these are in the basic form of

hugs and these are in the basic form of

hugs and these are in the basic form of humanity these are just in practicing

humanity these are just in practicing

humanity these are just in practicing kindness whether that’s in volunteering

kindness whether that’s in volunteering

kindness whether that’s in volunteering or helping a stranger or giving

or helping a stranger or giving

or helping a stranger or giving compliments or just making eye contact

compliments or just making eye contact

compliments or just making eye contact and smiling at one another so and you’re

and smiling at one another so and you’re

and smiling at one another so and you’re in luck because if we practice these

in luck because if we practice these

in luck because if we practice these mental hugs we also increase that

mental hugs we also increase that

mental hugs we also increase that oxytocin in our brain leading us to

oxytocin in our brain leading us to

oxytocin in our brain leading us to benefit from all those health advantages

benefit from all those health advantages

benefit from all those health advantages so back to the anxiety that you might

so back to the anxiety that you might

so back to the anxiety that you might feel if I’m forcing you to interact with

feel if I’m forcing you to interact with

feel if I’m forcing you to interact with strangers if you’re going to do that and

strangers if you’re going to do that and

strangers if you’re going to do that and you get anxious about it I want you to

you get anxious about it I want you to

you get anxious about it I want you to think about this there was a study and

think about this there was a study and

think about this there was a study and it was performed by a behavioral

it was performed by a behavioral

it was performed by a behavioral psychologist at the University of

psychologist at the University of

psychologist at the University of Harvard University and they called it

Harvard University and they called it

Harvard University and they called it the mother Teresa effect basically what

the mother Teresa effect basically what

the mother Teresa effect basically what they did is they had groups of students

they did is they had groups of students

they did is they had groups of students watch a documentary of mother Teresa

watch a documentary of mother Teresa

watch a documentary of mother Teresa performing random acts of kindness and

performing random acts of kindness and

performing random acts of kindness and helping the poor in India this

helping the poor in India this

helping the poor in India this documentary was about 45 to 50 minutes

documentary was about 45 to 50 minutes

documentary was about 45 to 50 minutes long and what the psychologist did is he

long and what the psychologist did is he

long and what the psychologist did is he took a cotton swab of each student’s

took a cotton swab of each student’s

took a cotton swab of each student’s saliva before and after the documentary

saliva before and after the documentary

saliva before and after the documentary what he wanted to test for was

what he wanted to test for was

what he wanted to test for was immunoglobin a which is a one of the key

immunoglobin a which is a one of the key

immunoglobin a which is a one of the key factors in her immune system when he

factors in her immune system when he

factors in her immune system when he found is after watching this documentary

found is after watching this documentary

found is after watching this documentary their levels of this antibody actually

their levels of this antibody actually

their levels of this antibody actually increased significantly and this

increased significantly and this

increased significantly and this suggests to us that if anything else we

suggests to us that if anything else we

suggests to us that if anything else we at least start paying attention and

at least start paying attention and

at least start paying attention and watching more feel-good videos and

watching more feel-good videos and

watching more feel-good videos and listening to positive stories because

listening to positive stories because

listening to positive stories because just thinking and watching love and

just thinking and watching love and

just thinking and watching love and kindness we too can improve our immune

kindness we too can improve our immune

kindness we too can improve our immune system so guys I honestly believe that

system so guys I honestly believe that

system so guys I honestly believe that love is contagious and I challenge each

love is contagious and I challenge each

love is contagious and I challenge each of us to practice kindness and mental

of us to practice kindness and mental

of us to practice kindness and mental hugs and physical health physical hugs

hugs and physical health physical hugs

hugs and physical health physical hugs every day in the hopes of creating a

every day in the hopes of creating a

every day in the hopes of creating a community that’s full of love happiness

community that’s full of love happiness

community that’s full of love happiness kindness and health that will then build

kindness and health that will then build

kindness and health that will then build to the world around us because hugs

to the world around us because hugs

to the world around us because hugs really are a four-letter word that could

really are a four-letter word that could

really are a four-letter word that could change our world are you ready to be a

change our world are you ready to be a

change our world are you ready to be a part of that movement I know I am thank

part of that movement I know I am thank

part of that movement I know I am thank you

you

you [Applause]