The first reason is that a hug will release a hormone: oxytocin. It is called the hormone of attachment, or the hormone of happiness. This happens as soon as you are hugged, or hugged for at least twenty seconds. Produced by the brain, it has a calming effect and generates a sensation of immediate well-being. It works when one is in a state of calm and fullness. This is obviously the case with a hug, but it can also happen when you lie on a beach in the sun or when you meditate. It is the antagonist of the stress hormone, cortisone. But it's not just a hormonal issue. The cuddles do us good because they send us back to the little child we were. The one who is cuddled, caught in someone's arms, safe. And when a person gives us a gesture comparable to benevolence and love, we are invaded by a sense of well-being.