Holding hands can sync brainwaves, ease pain, study shows
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180301094822.htm
Date:
March 1, 2018
Source:
University of Colorado at Boulder
Summary:
A new study by a pain researcher shows that when a romantic partner holds hands with a partner in pain, their brain waves sync and her pain subsides.

Reach for the hand of a loved one in pain and not only will your breathing and heart rate synchronize with theirs, your brain wave patterns will couple up too, according to a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).



"We have developed a lot of ways to communicate in the modern world and we have fewer physical interactions," said lead author Pavel Goldstein, a postdoctoral pain researcher in the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab at CU Boulder. "This paper illustrates the power and importance of human touch."

He and his colleagues at University of Haifa recruited 22 heterosexual couples, age 23 to 32 who had been together for at least one year and put them through several two-minute scenarios as electroencephalography (EEG) caps measured their brainwave activity. The scenarios included sitting together not touching; sitting together holding hands; and sitting in separate rooms. Then they repeated the scenarios as the woman was subjected to mild heat pain on her arm.

Merely being in each other's presence, with or without touch, was associated with some brain wave synchronicity in the alpha mu band, a wavelength associated with focused attention. If they held hands while she was in pain, the coupling increased the most.

"It appears that pain totally interrupts this interpersonal synchronization between couples and touch brings it back," says Goldstein.

"Interpersonal touch may blur the borders between self and other," the researchers wrote.

The study did not explore whether the same effect would occur with same-sex couples, or what happens in other kinds of relationships. The takeaway for now, Pavel said: Don't underestimate the power of a hand-hold.

"You may express empathy for a partner's pain, but without touch it may not be fully communicated," he said.

Hummm...

Not if your hands are a major source of your pain.. j/s

SHOOTING STAR - I NEED YOUR TOUCH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUs-spUxmgI

I want to hold your hand - The Beatles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHgf_Ocej0I

True but I think it is the touch synchronicity that is the focus.
Brainwaves, heart rate and all that jazz.

I find that very easy to believe. I've always found touch very soothing and the first thing I think to do when I see someone in pain or in destress is to physically touch them. I think a lot of people have that instinct.

There are people who don't like to be touched who don't care for touchy-feely people like me though. Haha!

Don't get me wrong, I'll endure the pain as long as possible.

Any volunteers to test this study?

I've asked several women online what they hypothetically thought about the idea of holding hands in silence. I got two responses, one said it would be awesome, the other said it would make them very nervous.

Pain definitely improves focus but has a limitation in that it self absorbed focus. I've always wanted to try something like that.

Yea...doesn't work on solo mode..

I have experienced extreme pain where I didn't want to be touched but that was under extreme conditions.

It has been a few years since I felt a loving touch.
I exist in a different type of pain now that I think would be soothed with a loving touch.

Raises hand...
Me, Me, Me, I wanna!

One Dr recommended I try smoking some pot.
Well, I tried and that was a disaster.
I become super focused when high.
I was amazed just how much I compensate.
The pain was terrible when high and I couldn't compensate because I was extremely focused on it.

Every morning, I spend time sitting on the edge of the bed biting back the pain so I can function.
Lately its been taking me longer and longer before I can function.

The only reason I can sleep at all is because of the night meds I take. I wake when they wear off.

When I've done hands on energy healing in the past, raising my hands just slightly off the body sometimes helps with those have extreme pain when touched. You can feel the energy and warmth of the other's hand but not the pain you feel from the actual touch.

I would love to hold your hand Tom.

I was thinking of both you and Stu, the two of you have the commonality of living in pain on a daily basis. I would want to hold each of your hands if it would ease your pain for a while.

The loving touch also soothes the soul.
The article calls it biorhythm synchronization but knowing someone cares about you has a definite effect on the senses.

There's an empathy aspect to it.

People in love draw strength from each other but also give it as well. Touch may be the conduit of intensity.
Like the difference between a wireless internet connection and a wired one.

Not to minimize the power of implied love.
I feel that online all the time.
I even feel it sometimes right here in M2 forums.
And...It does help me focus on something other than my pain.

So, lets hold hands virtually and let the love take our pain.

Kumbaya

You already do...

Well that warms my heart, I'm glad of that.

I think it would be interesting to see a study on this using virtual presence. Like one over a tcp/ip connection.

First a skype presence then a purely textual presence like in messenger/texting or even community forums like M2.

I think that a study on the effects of virtual presence is important given that more and more people are meeting loved ones online.

Is there any truth to online dating?
Can it be quantified and tracked, then predicted?
Does online interactions create a synchronicity in alpha mu bands?
How important is the proximity for the connection.
Are virtual hugs and kisses a real factor in determining a sense of ease and well-being?

THAT study would really be interesting to me.

That would be interesting. I know if I'm feeling sad and get a virtual hug or kind words from someone on Mingle it does seem to lift my spirits.

Conducting an actual test to see if the brain waves change and to what extent, would be cool.