hugthumbsAccording to Maureen E. Lyon, Ph. D., ABPP, “Give and receive four hugs a day.” Clinical research actually shows that hugs make you live longer! Humans need to feel touch. It “soothes and calms us,” Lyon said. “It brings down that reactive arousal system that can get activated when we feel threatened in any way and especially in stressful situations.” And those hugs don’t have to be just from humans, pets count too!