The first hug is the most powerful. When a newborn baby emerges, fills its lungs with oxygen, and cries out, it presumably does so out of fear and disorientation. And long before science told us why we do it, midwives and shamans would alleviate baby’s pain by quickly putting it into the mother’s arms. When mama wasn’t available, papa would take the baby. What happens then—an embrace of skin-to-skin contact—is a miracle of nature. A flood of oxytocin let loose in both parent and child. Often a quieting of the child. Euphoria for the parent. Truly astounding. This is where hugs begin.

Hugging is universal. In every culture worldwide, we have determined how two bodies fit together best. No, not that way. We mean the intertwined magic that is a big, warm, loving hug. We all yearn for it; even when conditioning has fooled us into thinking we don’t like hugs, science reminds us that we do. Hugs release dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. These are the happy juices that our glands produce. They are the same chemicals cocaine, MDMA, and other mood-altering substances release. Quite literally, hugs are like drugs; less addictive but much healthier for you.

These hormones are miraculous. Dopamine simply makes you feel good…full stop. Serotonin is nature’s antidepressant, and helps elevate your mood, crush anxiety, and make one less lonely. But it’s truly oxytocin—the love hormone—which takes the crown. It relieves stress and increases overall heart health. It helps us lose weight, lower blood pressure, fight disease, increase libido, reduce stress, and just generally make humans comfortable as they move through life. And this—a chemical cocktail of love, acceptance, and vitality—is why we desire to be hugged, especially in our most dire times.

We are all patients in one way or another, and when we are diagnosed with a chronic disease it’s natural to become emotionally vulnerable. Mental health haunts many humans. Enduring pain is a reality for some. If we are lucky enough to have to a healthy network of friends and family, we can manage the vulnerability that comes with these conditions and illnesses, but as most of us have experienced at some low point, words only do so much.

“You’ll feel better soon.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Everyone deals with things like this.”

Words can be kind and sentiment matters, but sometimes what we need the most is a simple hug. It’s an engagement that goes beyond a nudge or reminder or supportive platitudes, no matter how well-meaning they may be.

Ten seconds of hugging helps the body fight infections, eases depression, and lessens tiredness. Twenty seconds reduces the harmful effects of stress, relieves blood pressure, and ensures a healthy heart. Two minutes can lend surprising insight into who the other person is emotionally and mentally. Increasing the hug ratio results in reduced blood pressure, decreased cortisol levels, improved healing, reduced cravings, and better immunity.

But let’s get back to those babies. The oxytocin release induced by skin-to-skin contact does not occur in short pulses as it does in breastfeeding, but rather in a longer, more powerful pulses. As we grow older, we require more physical contact, not less. In a world that requires us to move quickly, often in large groups of strangers, the power of touch has become rarer. A quick kiss. A brief handshake. A high five. All are awesome and have their place, but if a mere ten seconds or two minutes of hugging can create literal happiness, joy, and health in the human body, imagine what a lifetime of embraces does for the soul.

In a world that is spinning with artificial intelligence and digital reminders, we need human connections more than ever. A human hello has the power to impact a person in remarkable ways. And if that person is a patient, it can change a life.