9 Different Types of Hugs and What They Mean

Hugging is underrated, powerful, and compelling.

By balancing the purity of simply wanting to embrace another human as a means to showcase your love to them with the intimacy that can also be derived from a tight embrace, hugging can do a lot.

And by doing a lot, we mean so in an emotional manner. Hugging is a keystone part of building trust and bringing yourselves closer on both the physical realm and also in terms of your relationship, and it is a definitive means of which your body language can act as a medium to express how you feel.

From enhancing your love life to promoting overall comfort in your relationship, hugging should never be forgotten or taken for granted.

So check out this guide on the nine different types of hugs, as well as their benefits, and see exactly what this body language of love (or possibly not!)  just might reveal about your relationship.  

The benefits of hugging

Do you wonder, why do people hug? What is the significance of a hug?

Before we talk about the different types of hugs, let us get to know some of the striking benefits of hugging.

A simple hug is one of the best ways to show social and romantic support for someone and to help in lowering stress levels for both the person of which you are comforting and also yourself.

Studies have proven that hugs can lower your heart rate and blood sugar, proving that hugging is actually extremely beneficial for your heart health!

Overall, hugging is one of the most subtly intimate of connections that maintains tons of health benefits to your body, so much so that hugging can even help to protect you from illness!

But also being healthy for you, hugging is healthy for your relationship. This non-sexual form of closeness is the perfect way to demonstrate your love through body language, and hugging has been shown to better promote one’s ability to communicate emotion via touch.

The less stressed out and the healthier we feel, the happier we become and the more that we can project that happiness directly back into our relationships, all while building connection through sexless touch.

It only takes one hug a day to reap the benefits of this under-the-radar act, so I’d say it’s well worth a nice tight embrace the next time you are with your loved one, right?

Here are listed some of the major benefits!

• Hugs reduce stress by comforting in times of help.
• Hugs safeguard you against several illnesses.
• Hugs work as instant mood lifters and make you happier.
• Hugs result in a healthier heart.
• Hugs lessen your pain.
• Hugs are a medium of effective communication.

Related Reading: The Power of Touch in Your Marriage

9 Types of hugs

Here are listed some of the common types of hugs that you must have seen in the movies or around you or even experienced yourself. But, not every type of hug conveys the same meaning or emotion.

Read on to discover the meanings of these different types of hugs.

1. The Bear Hug

When it comes to hugging, let’s start with a classic: “The Bear Hug.”

The bear hug is that big ol’ embrace in which you wrap your arms around each other, pulling the other person towards you as tightly as possible and squeezing them as though you never want to let go!

A bear hug is an excellent indication of a healthy relationship. A sign of trust, intimacy beyond sexuality, and protection!

First and foremost, this hug acts as a showcase of the intimacy you share, as even though the hug itself might not be that sexy, it is indicative of pure trust. And of course, this hug is quite the indication that you want to protect your partner and always provide them a safe place.

A bear hug is a wonderful means to help reduce feelings of anxiety or stress, and there’s not much that feels better than when your partner brings you as close as possible to their existence.

So, now you know how to give good hugs!

2. A squeeze from behind

Similar to the bear hug, tightly hugging someone from behind is another definitive showcase of a relationship in which the partner hugging is telling the other through this body language that they are there to act as their protector in life and that they will not let anything happen to them.

A hug from behind the waist usually comes with a slight surprise and often occurs during normal life moments, like having your back turned while cooking dinner, so this protective hug definitely speaks aloud your affection as well.

The random embrace of which the other is unaware until it happens will immediately spark feel-good emotions throughout the body and mind, as the surprise is part of what defines the fact that your love is always there, and a hug from behind will always go appreciated in a relationship.

3. A pick-up and swing hug

How to hug a girl in a way that leaves her pleasantly surprised?

Go for a pick-up and swing hug!

When the fire of your love is roaring and you alas see your partner after an amount of time has passed of which you weren’t together, picking them up in a wild embrace cliche to the movies is always a beautiful indication of the way that you feel for one another.

If you and your partner share these moments, then it is probably safe to say that you are wildly in love and that your passion is at its peak. Just never let these moments fade with time!

4. A hug at the waist

How to hug romantically?

A hug at the waist is indeed one of the most romantic and intimate types of hugs!

A hug at the waist brings one partner below the shoulders of the other, down and closer to the stomach during this embrace.

This type of hug is a wonderful means of manifesting your intimacy to your partner, as this hug (to the person hugging) speaks loudly on the fact that you feel comfortable with your intimacy and that you trust your partner to cater to the delicacy of romantic feelings.

If you want to tell your partner that you love them, that you find them to be extremely attractive, and that you both trust and want to maintain your intimacy, then a hug around this waist is a perfect means to do so.

5. The eye contact hug

Eyes are the window to the soul, right?

Combine the unspoken message of love and intimacy through the language of eye contact with the physical touch and embrace of a hug, and you will never feel so at home and so wanted.

This is certainly one of the best types of hugs that allows you to go beyond just the physical aspects of your relationship.

It helps you share a moment locked into the gaze of your partner. It shows that you have taken down all barriers and that you trust them and yourself to always care for one another.

6. The “I want you” hug

With love, of course, comes intimacy, and with intimacy comes the desire to be as close to your partner as possible on a physical level.

A hug that is seductive in nature, such as one that involves the touching of the hair or a light brush of hands down the back, is a way to tell your partner or for your partner to tell you that they wish to take things behind closed doors.

Use this type of hug as a subtle and romantic means of initiating your desire to get close.

7. The extended hug

How to give the best hug to your partner?

A long-lasting hug that feels as though time no longer exists is the absolute best way to symbolize to your partner the infinite nature of your love for them.

When you enter an embrace that you never want to leave, and so you simply don’t, you are creating a moment that will embed itself into your shared intimacy forever, further enhancing and strengthening all of your bonds.

You can also go about rubbing the back while hugging when you wish to console or comfort your partner during the extended hug.

8. The friendly hug

Not all types of hugs are meant for friends. So, how do you hug a friend or someone in the family?

This hug is one of the safest types of hugs that you can give to your family and friends.

A hug with a slight pat on the back is a great way to showcase to someone that you are there for them, that you care about them, and that you are there for more comfort when comfort is needed.

When delicate situations arise or when you want to step back and appreciate your partner beyond just intimacy, appreciating the foundation elements of your love such as friendship, this hug is a great way to showcase this.

9. The side hug

A side hug is a perfect way to maintain intimacy in public situations or when around your family and friends. If you and your partner are in a setting such as a party, and they walk up and gently place one arm along your lower back, then this is an excellent sign of a healthy relationship.

This type of hug says I want to be close, and I am not afraid of showing that we are together and in love, but in a way that is subtle and not over the top.

Related Reading: What Your Body Language Says About Your Relationship

How many hugs do we need?

Are you wondering how many hugs are sufficient for optimal health?

Well, as per Virginia Satir-“We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”

This might sound like a lot of hugs, but we can never have enough hugs, can we?

If you want to lead a healthier and happier life, hugs seem like a good solution to resolve your problems and communicate better.

Clearly, when in doubt, you need to hug it out. Hugs are harmless and healthy, after all.

Wrapping up

We have learned what the different types of hugs are and what they mean. Hugs and love share a deep connection indeed.

But, now we also know that two people hugging do not always mean the same thing. Depending on the type of hug, we can gauge their relationship or the emotions they are sharing.

So, when you wish to express your feelings for your loved ones or your deep love for your partner, do not hold yourself back from hugging them. Use the different types of hugs mentioned in this article with the right person and at the right time!

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