Do you know how soothing and comforting touch can be? Of course you do! You have experienced it yourself so many times through your life. When you’re depressed or miserable, doesn’t the touch of a child’s hand or the weight of a baby in your arms ease the unpleasantness? Touch can perk you up; dissipating the effects of stress and making your mind and body relax and feel better.

For some individuals, especially senior citizens who live alone or are confined to nursing homes, a simple touch can re-awaken feelings of happiness and a sense of belonging.

The sense of touch can not only relax, but heal as well.

When a person whose job entails a lot of work at a computer is rubbed gently on the back or neck, it is instantly soothing. Stress eases away at once at that massaging touch.

You could be engaging in a heated conversation at home - then one of your children may come up to you and gently touch your hand. The conversation abruptly ends and you forget what it was you were fighting about.

Many pet owners find the benefits rewarding of stroking, cuddling, and spending time with their pets. You could be in the worst possible mood when you arrive home, but when your pet greets you with excitement as you enter the house, all of your worries seem to fade away, and you can relax.

Let’s face it; we all need a hug now and then. Whether it’s from a spouse, a child, a sister, or a friend - it does change the way we feel and it does help change our attitude. Sometimes, hugging ourselves - the inner child in us - can not only make us feel better but put us in a relaxed and comfortable state of mind.

Take your kids to a petting zoo and see how much they love stroking and cuddling the creatures there. As they play with the various animals, they will delight in the feel of their different skins and pelts, full of interesting textures and appearances.

The art of touching can certainly relax, soothe, heal, and comfort a human being. It can either be sexual, sensual, or even allowing an individual who has low self-esteem to open up to you and discuss their feelings.

It is the touch of a child that can make a grumpy old man smile; it is the touch of a friend that can create a comfort zone in which one is relaxed enough to share feelings; it is a mother’s touch that can relax a crying child into a peaceful state of slumber.