National Cuddle Up Day

Winter has the coldest days of the year so there’s many ways to stay warm. One of the best ways to stay warm is a three-dog night, a night so cold it takes cuddling up to three dogs to stay warm. There are multiple benefits to cuddling with people, canines, and other pets. Let’s find out what those are in celebration of National Cuddle Up Day!

How to Celebrate National Cuddle Up Day

Be Sure to Cuddle Up

To celebrate, all that is needed is a partner to cuddle up with. This might be a dog, a cat, or even a human who also wants to participate! Play with our pets, cuddle up by the fire with our significant other, or listen to music.

Learn Benefits of Cuddling Up

Cuddling releases oxytocin. This hormone alone has huge health benefits. Besides giving us warm and fuzzy feelings, oxytocin reduces pain. So when the cold has made those muscles and joints ache, cuddling can help reduce those aches and pains. Oxytocin also helps reduce heart disease, reduces blood pressure, stress, and anxiety.

If it weren’t free, cuddling would probably be covered by health insurance because it’s such a huge health benefit! Physical touch can communicate trust, commitment, safety, and reassurance. This goes for human to human contact as well has human to pet contact. Cuddling communicates all these things which are vital to a strong relationship. Cuddling can also boost sexual desire. Dopamine is released stimulating the brain to seek pleasure.

But dopamine also can improve memory and focus as well. Cuddling also helps a mother better bond with her infant or toddler children. As cuddling releases Oxytocin, it relaxes the mother so breastfeeding may come more easily. It also enables sleep, even when the mother might have difficulty sleeping with a newborn in the house.

Reduce Anxiety by Cuddling Up

Cuddling can actually help with social anxiety which helps you have a positive outlook on the world. Cuddling doesn’t even have to be between you and your romantic partner. Don’t have someone to cuddle up with? Make an appointment for a massage. Studies show massage provides similar benefits. You can also go and hug your friends or play with your pets. If you don’t want to be so social or don’t have a furry friends, never fear friend! You can rub your own shoulders, take a warm bath or of course, get a massage.

History of National Cuddle Up Day

While the background of this day is a bit fuzzy, the purpose behind it sure isn’t! National Cuddle Up Day was obviously established to draw attention to the health and well-being that can come from hugs and cuddling. And the fact that it happens in winter during some of the coldest and darkest days (at least in the northern hemisphere) makes it clear that this day is all about promoting relationships and being intentional about self-care.