An odd phenomenon has been long observed in clocks. When you have five clocks
in different rooms of the house they won't ever indicate the same time. Hang two of
them next to each other however, and they will start to keep time in perfect unison.
Science can't explain this phenomenon but now it has been observed in people as well.
A new study suggests that holding hands with someone we love leads not only to
a sense of connection but that it can cause our breathing, brain waves and heart rates
to sync and can even decrease physical pain. Couples who had been together for at
least a year were put in different situations involving being in the room together or not
in the same room and touching or not touching.
Woman were exposed to mild heat related pain. When both were in the same room,
regardless of whether or not they were touching, synchronicity of brain waves occurred,
especially for wavelengths associated with sustained attention. The study is the most recent
in a growing body of research examining what has been termed "interpersonal synchronization."
Basically, this means that people physically mirror each other. It is the first to look at brain
wave synchronization in the context of pain, and offers new insight into the role it may play in healing touch.
in different rooms of the house they won't ever indicate the same time. Hang two of
them next to each other however, and they will start to keep time in perfect unison.
Science can't explain this phenomenon but now it has been observed in people as well.
A new study suggests that holding hands with someone we love leads not only to
a sense of connection but that it can cause our breathing, brain waves and heart rates
to sync and can even decrease physical pain. Couples who had been together for at
least a year were put in different situations involving being in the room together or not
in the same room and touching or not touching.
Woman were exposed to mild heat related pain. When both were in the same room,
regardless of whether or not they were touching, synchronicity of brain waves occurred,
especially for wavelengths associated with sustained attention. The study is the most recent
in a growing body of research examining what has been termed "interpersonal synchronization."
Basically, this means that people physically mirror each other. It is the first to look at brain
wave synchronization in the context of pain, and offers new insight into the role it may play in healing touch.
Even without touch, being in each other's presence gave some relief from
the pain and both individuals showed some brain wave synchronicity. When
they held hands these effects increased significantly. When the man was in
another room and unable to hold her hand when she was in pain the brain
wave synchronization decreased. Other studies have found similar effects
of synchronization with heart rate and respiration. The researchers concluded
that pain interrupts the interpersonal synchronization that couples normally
experience and touch re-establishes it.
The synchronization was strongest when when the pair was holding hands and the
woman was in pain. It was concluded that touch is an important part of easing pain,
just being together isn’t enough. It was further concluded that pain interrupts the
interpersonal synchronization that is experienced normally by couples and that touch
re-establishes it.
the pain and both individuals showed some brain wave synchronicity. When
they held hands these effects increased significantly. When the man was in
another room and unable to hold her hand when she was in pain the brain
wave synchronization decreased. Other studies have found similar effects
of synchronization with heart rate and respiration. The researchers concluded
that pain interrupts the interpersonal synchronization that couples normally
experience and touch re-establishes it.
The synchronization was strongest when when the pair was holding hands and the
woman was in pain. It was concluded that touch is an important part of easing pain,
just being together isn’t enough. It was further concluded that pain interrupts the
interpersonal synchronization that is experienced normally by couples and that touch
re-establishes it.
Results also showed that when the woman’s male partner felt empathetic toward
her, brain wave synchronization increased and pain decreased even more. It was
hypothesized that when we sense that someone else feels our pain it helps us to
better manage it.
This study expands upon the first one published from this research which showed
that touch led to a similar decrease in pain and an increase in synchronization in
heart rate and breathing rate between partners. The two studies showed that the intensity
of pain averaged a 34% reduction for individuals when holding hands. It’s important to
note, however, that this research did not explore the effect in homosexual couples or
non-romantic partners.
her, brain wave synchronization increased and pain decreased even more. It was
hypothesized that when we sense that someone else feels our pain it helps us to
better manage it.
This study expands upon the first one published from this research which showed
that touch led to a similar decrease in pain and an increase in synchronization in
heart rate and breathing rate between partners. The two studies showed that the intensity
of pain averaged a 34% reduction for individuals when holding hands. It’s important to
note, however, that this research did not explore the effect in homosexual couples or
non-romantic partners.
The head researcher came up with the experiment after, noticing during the delivery of his daughter that his wife's pain lessened when he held her hand. He decided to test this in the lab to determine if touch can really lessen pain and, if so, how.
It isn't clear yet how this relationship works. Some ideas have been suggested, however. When someone is empathic about their partner's pain, and communicates that through touch it can make the other person feel understood. This has been shown in other studies to turn on pain killing reward mechanisms in the brain. It also has a positive effect on mood, decreasing anxiety and fear and increasing relaxation. These positive emotions have been associated with endorphins in the body which also have a pain dampening effect.
References
Goldstein, P., Weissman-Fogel, I., & Shamay-Tsoory, S. G. (2017). The role of touch
in regulating inter-partner physiological coupling during empathy for pain. Scientific
Reports, 7(1), 3252.
in regulating inter-partner physiological coupling during empathy for pain. Scientific
Reports, 7(1), 3252.
Peled-Avron, L., Goldstein, P., Yellinek, S., Weissman-Fogel, I., & Shamay-Tsoory, S. G. (2017). Empathy during consoling touch is modulated by mu-rhythm: An EEG study. Neuropsychologia.
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