The Surprising Health Benefits of 7 Habits You Thought Did Nothing For You

The health benefits of calling mom

You’re an adult. You can handle this. You don’t need to run to Mom over a bad day at work. Turns out there are health benefits of calling your mother.

A study published in Proceedings B by researchers from the University of Wisconsin Madison put a group of girls ages seven to 12 through a stressful task and then divided them into three groups: The first had 15 minutes in person with their mothers, the second called their moms and the last one watched a film. Researchers found that levels of oxytocin—the “happy hormone” linked to emotional bonding—were increased in both the groups that had physical contact with their moms and those that just talked to Mom on the phone.

The researchers also saw that the levels of the stress hormone cortisol decreased in both the groups that talked to mom. And we know that our connection with mom doesn’t change age we age.

The post The Surprising Health Benefits of 7 Habits You Thought Did Nothing For You appeared first on Reader's Digest.