The importance of skin to skin contact.
Skin. It is the largest organ in the human body, covering every inch of your person. I’m just telling you this in case it comes up on a pub quiz, I’m telling you this because your skin is important. Your skin is a complex and ultra-sensitive shield in which the rest of you exists. Unlike every other organ in your body, you can see your skin, you can feel it. It is not masked in fluids, caged between bone and flesh, it’s there in front of you. There is something magical about skin, the way it responds to temperature, touch, the environment around you. We are all aware of our skin and we understand the simple rules; if we put our hand on a flame our skin will burn, if we scratch our skin it will tear…but one rule that is often dismissed or unknown by the general populous is the importance of skin to skin contact.
Skin to skin contact- what does this mean? Well simply, skin to skin contact is when your skin is put in to contact with someone else’s. When your skin comes in to contact with another person’s, in any capacity what can you feel? The sensation of skin meeting skin, the warmth or chill of their body temperature, a slight tingling perhaps, the texture, whether rough or smooth, this is all correct. However it is what is going on inside that is most important. Your skin is connected to your nervous system that is fact. You can see this in everyday situations, say you find yourself stressed, consumed with worry- take not of your skin, it will be colder, goose pimpled even- that is your skin reacting to the imbalance in your nervous system. Some people find themselves visibly shaking in moments of anxiety, this is because their nervous system is in chaos, and the trembling comes from the skins reaction to this.
What I want to discuss today is what happens to the nervous system when the human body is deprived of skin on skin contact. There has been much research done on this phenomenon and the results are striking. When I first began my own study on the issue I was amazed at the lack of information out there already. After finishing my research and sharing my thesis I learnt why; as a society we are uncomfortable with the idea of the carnal side of man. We are in the 21st century after all, we wear suits, we drink coffee, we get up on the sound of our alarm; we are modern, developed beings. And yet, those primal instincts that are interwoven in to our complex fibres remain. Just like animals, we need to eat, sleep and we need physical human connection to stay healthy. No matter how advanced the human race becomes if we starve ourselves of these necessary things we suffer.
In the modern world carving out genuine human connection can be difficult. In the past our carnal needs were met in a much more straight forward no nonsense way. The distractions of modern life and the expectation of meeting the perfect match is a flawed attitude and are dismissive of the bodily needs of man. In the modern world we are so busy chasing careers, chasing ambition, chasing “the one” that we can neglect our present reality and the immediate needs of our body. Holding out for Mr/Mrs Right is perfectly fine but not listening to your body and allowing your physical desires to shut down is dangerous.
Why is skin on skin contact important?
This is the big question and the topic I want to address head on today. Without skin on skin contact the nervous system is not nourished and becomes weakened. This opens your body up to attack, creating an imbalance in your hormone levels. When you experience body to body/ skin on skin contact your body naturally releases positive chemicals, these are known as endorphins. A lack of touch depletes the body of important chemical endorphins like serotonin.
When we have a low count of serotonin and other endorphins the body goes in to a state of withdrawal, the mind becomes infected and we become depressed. If you have ever felt depressed and have been confused about why, with everything in your life seemingly fine, it will probably be because of a lack of human touch. It’s not a rare thing, this is science and we all experience this. It is not just an epidemic that affects older people. A study carried out with a group of mothers and babies showed ‘[t]he babies being hugged had lower heart rates and cried 82% less than those left wrapped and lying in their cribs.’ Another study on teenagers who experienced heightened levels of rage (predominantly a group of ADHD sufferers) were given an opportunity to attend massage sessions, the results spoke for themselves…post massage the teenagers ‘expressed feelings of happiness, and their teachers noted a decrease in the adolescents’ fidgeting and off-task activities.’
Which nicely brings me on to my final point; one of the most effective methods of relief from skin on skin deprivation is massage. Full naked body to body massage gives you (as the name suggest) full naturist body contact, which means every inch of your naked body is soothed by your masseuse. This is not only relaxing but incredibly beneficial in rebuilding your nervous system and releasing you of the chemical imbalance that has left you feeling lethargic, depressed, manic etc.
Unlike getting intimate with a new love interest, with massage you are not distracted by the outside complications of the situation- is your partner okay, are you doing that right, should I do it more like this etc.- with a naturist body to body massage all you need to do is relax, the trained masseuse will take care of you and can ensure the restoration of your healthy nervous system.
Although this still appears to be a conversation the West are not comfortable having, the eastern for centuries has been advocating the benefits of massage on the human system. In countries like China and Korea regular people get massages as much as someone in the West would say visit a massage therapist or go for a check-up with your GP. The medicinal benefits of massage are understood there, which is why Asian massage parlours here in the UK are pioneers in restoring healthy well-being and inner calm to the nation.
If you would like to experience skin to skin touch through an amazing sensual body to body massage in London, don’r hesitate to get in touch on 07769005278
