The Power Of Touch

From our first breath to old age, touch is central and beneficial to our lives. Here’s why we need it – and how to get more of it

Touch is our very first sense connection to the world from birth and a fundamental human need throughout our entire life span. Yet, in this digital age it seems we’re out of touch with this vital non-verbal connection. Whether we receive a pleasant caress, a pat on the back, a massage or just a handshake, being touched by another human being can evoke positive emotions, healing physical sensations, spiritual growth and powerful cognitive responses. Here we look at ways we can add positive human contact back into our lives and the medicinal benefit it offers.

The Silent Language

“Touch is a powerful form of nourishment that goes right to the core of the parts of ourselves where only that ‘silent’ language can fully express what we’re feeling,” says Cornelia Gerken, psychologist and founder of Core Evolution. “When this happens, the sensation we receive can play a role in putting us back on our feet in terms of trust, relaxation, deep connection and it opens us up to all the other great things that may not be visible in that moment,” she adds.

But how does the sense of touch work? “When we’re touched, pressure receptors under that area of skin become more active and this increase in activity tells the nervous system there has been contact in a specific area of skin,” Cornelia explains. “These signals are then processed through the nervous system and travel along the spinal column, to reach the brain, which sorts and interprets the information through its somatosensory cortex.”