Previously, there was a saying: cold hands, warm heart, but in reality, studies conducted by scientists have shown the opposite. Because when we are exposed to warm things, it can stimulate the formation of hormones and create a more sympathetic feeling.
1. What are warm hands and a warm heart?
Much studies have shown that subtle signals from our environment can significantly influence our behavior and emotions. There is evidence that throughout our evolution, the part of the brain responsible for processing interpersonal warmth is closely related to the part of the brain responsible for physical warmth. Therefore, emotional warmth and physical warmth have a reciprocal effect.
Lawrence Williams, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and John A. Bargh, PhD, professor of psychology at Yale University, conducted two studies on college students to assess how temperature affects emotions.
The first study was conducted as follows:
- First, 41 university students with an average age of 18.5 were selected. A researcher met each participant in the lobby of the building where the experiment was taking place. In the elevator on the way up, the researcher asked the participants to hold their coffee cup. The participants did not know that the coffee cup was part of the experiment. Half of the participants were asked to hold a warm cup of coffee, while the other half were asked to hold an iced coffee.
- Next, when entering the testing room, the participants were provided with some information about a stranger who was described using words such as intelligent, skillful, hardworking, practical, and cautious. After receiving this information, the participants were asked to evaluate the character of the person using a questionnaire. Those holding the warm coffee cups were much more likely to feel more positive about the information provided about the person compared to those holding the iced coffee cups.
In the second study, the researchers conducted the following:
- The researchers recruited 53 participants who were asked to hold either a hot or cold therapy pad. The participants were told that they were evaluating the therapy product.
- After testing by holding the therapy pad, the researchers were given an offer to choose a reward for themselves or for a friend or relative.
- It was found that in this study, the majority of people holding the warm therapy pad chose the gift for their loved one or themselves rather than for themselves. The opposite was true for those holding the cold therapy pad.
Through two studies, it has been found that physical temperature can influence behavior and emotions towards the surroundings, such as the affection we feel for someone we don’t even know. When our hands come into contact with warm objects, the physical sensation of warmth makes us perceive others as warmer, and it also makes us feel warmer, more generous, and more trustworthy. Thus, the saying 'warm hands, warm heart' also has a scientific basis. Regardless of your personality, the initial affection others feel towards you is very important. Applied to daily life, if you want to create a good impression with someone, offer them a hot drink.
2. Things to note when your hands are warm
It is true that when your hands are warm, it creates a sense of safety and fosters affection with those around you. However, if your hands are unusually hot all the time, you should pay attention, as this may be related to a health issue. Some causes that can lead to abnormally warm hands include:
- Environmental temperature changes: The temperature may be too hot when we wear gloves for extended periods of time while working, leading to hot hands.
- High blood pressure: High blood pressure increases blood flow to a certain area of the body, leading to warm hands. You should measure your blood pressure to determine if you are experiencing high blood pressure.
- Infection: An infection in your hand also increases the inflammatory response, causing a red, hot appearance.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: This syndrome is caused by swelling in the carpal tunnel tissue, causing nerve damage. When there is swelling in the carpal tunnel, the initial symptoms may be itching, numbness, hot hands...
- Peripheral neuropathy: This is nerve damage due to many causes, the most common cause of which is diabetes. This condition can cause a disturbance in temperature sensation, leading to the feeling that the hands are always hotter than normal.
Thus, when our hands feel warm, our hearts also become warmer, due to the impact of temperature on brain activity. However, it is important to note that if your hands are constantly hotter than usual, it may be due to abnormal blood circulation, and you should be aware of certain medical conditions such as infections, carpal tunnel syndrome, or peripheral neuropathy. If you notice that your hands are unusually warm or if one hand is hot while the other is cold, it is important to pay attention to potential health issues.
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Reference sources: webmd.com, medicalnewstoday.com
