The science of touch: Why massage feels so comforting

Touch is the first sense we develop as babies. Our sensory receptors start forming at just eight weeks into pregnancy, which means that long before we learn to talk, touch is how we connect and feel safe.

As adults, we instinctively know how good it feels to hold hands, hug or sink into a massage. But now, science is catching up with what instinct has always told us – touch can heal.

A recent meta-analysis published in Nature Human Behaviour pulled together 212 studies and 12,966 participants. The findings were simple but powerful: consensual touch reduces pain, stress, depression and anxiety.

Here’s what the research says, and why massage is much more than just relaxation.

Frequency matters more than type or duration

One of the strongest findings from the review was this – how often you experience touch matters more than duration. In adults, experiencing touch more often, like through massage, was linked to bigger improvements in depression, anxiety and pain – while experiencing touch for longer didn’t add any benefits.

Think of it like working out – one yoga class feels good, but regular practice is where the real change happens. So according to science you should book shorter, consistent massage sessions rather than saving it all up for a rare treat.

Even if your schedule’s packed, don’t wait until you can fit in a 90-minute treatment – a 45-minute once a week will make a bigger difference.

Human touch is special – but not the only option

Interestingly, the studies found that we benefit from both human and object touch. Weighted blankets and even social robots showed potential for reducing stress and pain.

So whether it’s your partner rubbing your shoulders after work or sinking into the comfort of a weighted blanket, your body and brain respond.

However, human touch offered a more significant boost to mental wellbeing – especially when it involved skin-to-skin contact, like that of hands massaging sore muscles. Our nervous system is wired to respond to warmth and gentle touch, thanks to special skin receptors (C-tactile afferents) that help regulate emotion.

Pain, mood and stress: The big three benefits

Massage isn’t just relaxing. According to the review, touch consistently improves:

• Pain – easing both chronic and acute discomfort, especially with regular sessions

• Depression – lifting mood and lowering symptoms

• Anxiety – reducing both day-to-day stress and longer-term anxious tendencies

That’s because touch helps switch the body out of fight-or-flight mode and into rest-and-digest, supporting calmer moods and even better sleep.

The benefits were seen across both healthy and unwell people, with the strongest effects in those already struggling with their health.

And touch doesn’t just soothe emotions – it supports the body as well. The research showed:

• Lower cortisol (the body’s main stress hormone)

• Reduced blood pressure and heart rate

• Improved physical recovery and overall wellbeing

And it’s not just adults who benefit. In newborns, parental touch was linked with better growth, stronger health and calmer behaviour.

Some surprising insights

A few other details stood out:

• Head touch outperformed arm and torso touch in overall health benefits – and showed stronger physical benefits than torso work. Your sign to add a scalp/face massage to your next booking.

• Newborns gained more weight with skin-to-skin contact, showing just how fundamental touch is to growth and survival

How to put the science into practice

The research is clear: touch isn’t a luxury. It’s a proven, measurable way to support both body and mind. And like sleep or exercise, its impact builds up when it’s regular.

Try making touch part of your weekly rhythm:

• A weekly relaxing massage to reset stress levels

• A fortnightly deep tissue massage if you’re carrying tension or pain

• A short express treatment on busier weeks – because frequency counts more than duration

Massage works because it draws into one of our oldest, most powerful senses. Make it a consistent habit, starting today.