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Blake, Wm. Abraham and Isaac. 1775.

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A new comprehensive study reveals that touch is as beneficial for mental clarity as physical health, healing all aspects of the body.

The research analyzed 212 previous studies, discovering the benefits of touch are notable for both healthy and unwell individuals, with the type and duration of touch being less important than its frequency. Touching the head was found to be the most beneficial.

The mental clarity benefits were more pronounced with human touch, attributed to skin-to-skin contact. Experts suggest further research into non-human sources of touch, like weighted blankets and social robots.

Professor Katerina Fotopoulou, University College London: “It is a historical misfortune that we have prioritized talking over touch or other somatic therapies in the past couple of centuries. This review gives us the necessary emphasis and confidence to redress this balance with further, careful study on touch interventions.”