On January 21, National Hug Day takes place. This day encourages us to practice one of the most natural gestures. National Hug Day is considered to be one of the most important days we can celebrate as it allows us to express affection. However, the gesture of hugging is often limited especially If you are always on the go. This day allows you to take a few minutes out of your busy day to show someone you care and that they care too.  

The History of National Hug Day 

National Hugging Day was created by Kevin Zaborney, where it was first celebrated in Clio, Michigan, USA, 1986. Zaborney chose January 21 to be the annual day as it fell between the Christmas and New Year's Holidays and Valentine's Day. The time of the year he felt people were at their lowest.  

Ways to Celebrate National Hug Day  

The obvious way to celebrate this day is to share a hug with a loved one. However, not everyone is comfortable with this idea so here are a few ideas you can try to still be involved with National Hug Day. 

• If you have a pet, hug them. Hugging a pet can also offer the same experience as hugging a human would. Making us happier and healthier, as listed below.  
• Take a bath. Taking a bath can help us to feel relaxed and present the same way a hug would.  
• Hug yourself. You can do this by placing one arm around your stomach and the other to your shoulder. This might seem silly, but it's been proven to help us stay more Intune with ourselves and boost our self-esteem.  
• Give yourself a 'mental hug' this can include complimenting yourself, writing about things you're grateful for or anything that puts your mind at ease. 

Facts about hugs  

Hugs are proven to relieve stress and pain as they put you in a state of relaxation, especially before or after facing stressful events. By hugging someone for just 20 seconds it releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin, shown to create stronger bonds and boost the immune system and reduce stress.  

Hugs help to improve our self-esteem; hugs can be crucial when taking steps to further improve our self-esteem as the experience of sharing a hug with a loved one can be so powerful that it has the ability to make us more confident.  

They allow us to be more mindful and present. Hugs can make us more mindful and aware of current situations going on in our own lives and around the world. Being able to stay present is a highly valuable and important skill that we all need but often, it can be difficult to do, hugging brings us joy and therefore helps us stay in the moment, similar to the effects of meditation.  

A hug is something you don't need to say anything for, yet everyone knows what it means. So, make sure you take part in this year's National Hug Day, show someone you care.  

Don't forget to practice carrying on the feelings that are brought up during this time, if caring for others is something you love to do then make sure you check out our latest job vacancies HERE