A new study published in Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical found that touching round things can make people more relaxed, according to a new report in Women’s Health.
A growing body of data shows that social phobia has become a major psychological disorder in modern society. Some people can’t help but feel sweaty palms, rapid heartbeat and extreme nervousness when they think about social situations or public occasions. For these problems, scholars from Harvard University, Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology conducted a study. They found that after touching rough objects, people will feel more difficult to cope with social activities. One of the leading members of the new study, Dr. Joshua Ackerman of the MIT School of Management, said that twiddling round things like Buddha beads and necklaces with your thumbs helps regulate emotions, relax and overcome anxiety and fear.
The latest research also reports that touching or stroking has a soothing effect, with touching something round feeling smooth and touching something rough feeling unpleasant. Also, skin-to-skin contact has a soothing effect, such as having a loved one massage the hands and feet, which helps to calm the heartbeat and relax tension.