Luke O’Neill: A hug a day can keep stress at bay

After a rather challenging week following the US presidential election you might be longing for a comforting hug. Well, science can help, with clear evidence that hugs are indeed beneficial, decreasing stress, building social connections and even helping your immune system. Hugging is in the news because an airport in Dunedin, New Zealand has imposed a three-minute limit on farewell hugs.

The airport’s chief executive said: “To keep things moving smoothly, we’ve installed new signage, including the ‘Max hug time 3 minutes’ sign.”.