Imagine a world where a simple hug, a gentle massage, or a loving caress could make you healthier and happier. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, think again. An international team of researchers recently conducted a massive review of studies on the health effects of touch, and their findings confirm what many of us have intuitively known all along: affectionate touch is a potent elixir for both the body and mind.

The scientists, led by Julian Packheiser and Helena Hartmann, combed through over 200 studies involving nearly 13,000 participants ranging from newborn babies to the elderly. Using sophisticated statistical techniques, they combined and analyzed the results to get the clearest picture yet of how being touched by others impacts key markers of physical and mental well-being.

So what exactly did they find? In a nutshell, touch interventions like massages, hugs, and gentle stroking proved beneficial for people of all ages. For adults and children, affectionate touch was especially effective at reducing pain, depression, and anxiety. Just imagine – instead of popping a painkiller, you might reach for a loved one’s hand instead. For newborns, touch from caregivers helped regulate stress hormones and promoted healthy weight gain.

Interestingly, the source of the touch didn’t seem to matter much for grown-ups – a loving squeeze was equally soothing whether it came from a partner, friend, or professional massage therapist. Babies, on the other hand, reaped the greatest benefits when the affectionate touch came from a parent. This makes sense when you consider how touch helps forge that all-important bond between infants and their primary caregivers.

Researchers also say the length of time for affectionate touch doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. “It’s not true that the longer the touch, the better,” Packheiser says in a media release. “It doesn’t have to be a long expensive massage. Even a short hug has a positive impact.”

Another fascinating finding was that touch didn’t have to come from human hands to be effective. Even interactions with objects and robots that simulated affectionate touch, like a huggable teddy bear or a therapeutic massage device, led to improvements in well-being, especially for physical health outcomes. However, for the biggest boost in mental health, nothing could quite compare to the magic of skin-to-skin contact with a fellow human being.