Giving affection comes with heart health benefits

Smooches and snuggles may make us feel warm and fuzzy, but they can also be good medicine, says Kory Floyd.

Floyd, a professor of communication and psychology at the University of Arizona, has spent his career studying how affectionate communication—through words, actions, and behaviors—affects health and well-being.

It probably comes as no surprise that higher levels of affection have been linked to greater relationship satisfaction. But affectionate communication also seems to benefit physical wellness.

In a research analysis published in the journal Communication Monographs, Floyd and his colleagues analyzed several studies about affection and found that affectionate communication is consistently associated with more positive health outcomes, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health.

He also found that showing affection seems to have an even greater benefit than receiving it.

Here, Floyd explains his research: