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February 2025 Bright Light Newsletter
The LOVE ISSUE
LOVE: The Heartbeat of True Health
February is the month of love, but at Bright Light Chiropractic, we believe love is more than just chocolates, flowers, and romantic gestures, it’s essential to your health! Science has shown that love, whether in the form of deep relationships, self-care, or faith, has profound effects on the body. Love reduces stress, strengthens immunity, lowers blood pressure, and even helps the body heal faster.
But love isn’t just about emotions; it’s about action. When you love yourself enough to prioritize your health, when you love your family enough to be your best for them, and when you love your Creator enough to trust in His design for your body, you set yourself up for a life of vitality and joy. Chiropractic care is one way we express our love for you, by helping your nervous system function at its best, so your body can express life the way it was intended.
This Valentine’s season, let’s focus on love, the love we give, the love we receive, and the love we show ourselves by investing in our health. Because a life full of love is a life well-lived.
The Healing Power of Love and Hugs:
The Science Behind Embraces
Love isn’t just an emotion—it’s a physiological force that can be measured and experienced on a biochemical level. Science has long explored how love, particularly through the act of hugging, influences our bodies. The simple act of embracing someone you care about triggers powerful physiological changes that enhance health, reduce stress, and even extend life expectancy.
The Science of Hugging
Hugging stimulates the release of oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone” or “cuddle chemical.” Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland. It plays a crucial role in bonding, trust, and emotional connection while also lowering cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Studies show that higher oxytocin levels correlate with reduced anxiety, lower blood pressure, and even enhanced immune function.
In addition to oxytocin, hugging also triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters that regulate mood and contribute to feelings of happiness and relaxation. Hugging has also been shown to increase vagal tone, which is associated with heart rate variability (HRV) and improved cardiovascular health.
How Many Hugs Do You Need?
Renowned psychotherapist Virginia Satir famously stated:
“We need 4 hugs a day for survival.”
“We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance.”
“We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”
Scientific research supports this notion. A study published in Psychological Science found that frequent hugging helps reduce stress and lowers susceptibility to infections, particularly colds. Another study in Biological Psychology demonstrated that physical touch, including hugging, decreases blood pressure and heart rate, reducing the risk of heart disease.
The Impact on Longevity and Health
Longitudinal studies suggest that people who engage in more affectionate touch live longer and experience fewer chronic illnesses. In research conducted at the University of North Carolina, women who received frequent hugs from their partners had higher oxytocin levels and lower heart rates and blood pressure compared to those who didn’t.
Another study published in the journal PLOS ONE showed that hugging and social support reduce the impact of stress-related illnesses, particularly by strengthening the immune system.
Embracing a Healthier Life
Hugging isn’t just a social nicety, it’s a biological necessity for emotional and physical well-being. The next time you see a loved one, take an extra moment to embrace them. Your body, and theirs, will thank you.
So go ahead, spread the love, twelve hugs a day might just keep the doctor away!
Want to check out the references?
Oxytocin Release and Stress Reduction: A study published in PLOS ONE found that romantic partner embraces can reduce cortisol release after acute stress induction in women.
Immune System Support: Research from Carnegie Mellon University demonstrated that individuals who received more frequent hugs were less likely to develop cold symptoms after exposure to a virus, suggesting that hugging can bolster the immune system.
Cardiovascular Health: A study in Biological Psychology found that more frequent partner hugs and higher oxytocin levels are linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate in premenopausal women.
Mental Health Benefits: According to the Cleveland Clinic, hugging can decrease the release of cortisol, making you less stressed and allowing for improved sleep.
Regarding the specific number of hugs needed daily, family therapist Virginia Satir is often quoted as saying: "We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth." While this guideline is widely cited, it is more anecdotal than scientifically validated.
In summary, scientific studies support the notion that regular hugging can lead to measurable improvements in physical and mental health, including stress reduction, enhanced immune function, and better cardiovascular health.
God IS Love - And We Strive to Reflect That in Our Office
I would be remiss not to mention that God IS love (1 John 4:8). Not just any kind of love, but agape love, the highest form of love, the love that is selfless, unconditional, and unwavering. It’s not transactional, not dependent on what we do or don’t do. It’s the kind of love that gives without expecting anything in return, the love that Jesus demonstrated when He laid down His life for us. That’s the love we strive to provide in our office, a place where you are valued, cared for, and seen, not because of what you bring, but simply because you are worthy.
God’s love does incredible things. It casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), giving us peace that surpasses understanding. It restores the brokenhearted, strengthens the weary, and heals in ways beyond the physical. His love reminds us that we are never alone, never abandoned, and always held in His hands. In a world that often loves based on performance, God loves because it is who He is, and that changes everything.
Our hope is that when you walk into our office, you don’t just receive care, you feel the love and presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. And when you leave, we pray you walk out not only physically better but with the deep assurance that you are valuable, you are worthy, and you are deeply loved.
Talking about LOVE, I love SEEING you...
I love my new optician Dr. Karl Cunningham at MyEyeDr on Elm Street in Manchester. I'm writing this newsletter without any glasses on for the first time in nearly a decade. I wasn't a fan of wearing glasses full time and I couldn't get used to the progressive glasses so I decided to get contact lenses. I want to tell you that I wasn't the easiest person to fit for contacts but Dr. Cunningham was patient with me and we went through 6 different lenses over the course of 2 weeks to find the perfect balance of distance and near vision. Putting the lenses in was a challenge the first week but now it only takes a minute. I have to tell you that I LOVE being able to see without glasses and I'm so very grateful to Dr. Cunningham and his team. I'm sure they lost money giving me all those Bouche and Lomb multifocal presbyopia lenses to try at no cost but now they've got a patient for life. Also, I thought the cost of contacts would be prohibitive but they gave me a discount through a price match program and the entire year's worth of contacts was only $200 without insurance! Thank you Dr. Cunningham and Staff at MyEyeDr on Elm Street in Manchester!
A Prayer for My Patients in February: The Month of Love
Heavenly Father,
As we step into this new month, a time when the world turns its attention to love, I lift up each and every patient who walks through our doors. Lord, remind them that Your love is not fleeting, conditional, or dependent on their actions, it is eternal, steadfast, and perfect. You are the very essence of love, and through You, we find our true worth.
Father, for those who feel unseen, let them know they are fully known. For those who feel unworthy, remind them that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. For those carrying burdens of worry or pain, wrap them in Your peace and healing touch. Let them experience the depth of Your agape love, a love that casts out fear, strengthens the weary, and restores the brokenhearted.
Lord, I pray that when my patients enter this office, they feel more than just care, they feel Your presence. Let them leave not just physically better, but spiritually refreshed, knowing they are loved, valued, and created for a purpose. May they carry that love into their homes, their families, and their communities, becoming a reflection of Your light in this world.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
In Health and Faith,
Dr. Jay. Kim, Kerrie and Lori
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