Pain Reduction Via Hand Holding Syncs Partners’ Brainwaves

Pain reduction by holding your loved one’s hand when they’re in pain will comfort them and cause your brain waves to synchronize, a new study shows.

Prosocial behavior is deeply ingrained in humans. For example, scientists have shown that the hearts of romantic partners beat at the same rate. This makes the “our hearts beat as one” phrase more true than previously thought.

Communal practices such as get togethers and social events, connect people and enhance empathy.

Pain Reduction: Amazing Results Through Touch

Pavel Goldstein, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Colorado, examined this physiological synchronicity. The focus examined when one partner is in pain and the other tries to comfort them.

Results showed that holding your partner’s hand can ease their pain and raise your empathy. Indeed, touch caused  the partner’s heart and respiration rates to synchronize!

This phenomenon is called “interpersonal synchronization”. Currently Dr. Goldstein and team are further exploring this phenomenon by mapping brain regions responsible for this synchronization.