The hugging in church site!

Husbands who kiss their wives in the morning live five years longer than those who don't.
They miss less work due to illness.
They have fewer car accidents.
They earn 20 to 30 percent more monthly than the non-wife-kissing husbands.

In her fascinating book The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky discusses a study in which students were assigned to two groups. One group was the control; one group was assigned to give or receive at least five hugs each day for a month - a front-to-front, non-sexual hug, with both arms of both participants involved, and with the aim of hugging as many different people as possible. The huggers were happier.

Another study showed that women who got hugs several times a day from their husbands had lower blood pressure than those who didn't get hugged as often.

Interesting fact: to be most effective at optimizing the flow of the chemicals oxytocin and serotonin - which boost mood and promote bonding - hold a hug for at least six seconds.

Expressing affection (in whatever way you express it) makes a big difference in relationships. For instance, people are 47% more likely to feel close to family members who frequently express affection than to those who rarely do so.

The results: “Intimacy reduced cortisol levels by improving mood,” says Dr. Ditzen.

A Daily Dose
Every minute spent hugging, kissing, holding hands or having sex translated into a small decrease in stress. Every touch had the same power to soothe. In other words, the 20th hug or kiss worked just as well as the first, and 20 hugs generated 20 times as much stress relief as a single snuggle.

Unfortunately, you can’t bank the benefits. Extra physical intimacy today won’t reduce your stress levels later this week. You’ve got to be “in touch” every day.