Holiday season is fast approaching, which means I’m in my annual era of falling into the binge-watch trap of Gilmore Girls—my *most* favorite comfort show in the world. Not only does it fuel my nostalgia for the aughts, but it also heals my inner child to see my favorite mother-daughter duo in Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, the epitome of how “my mom is my best friend” relationship can do all the wonders in one’s heart and soul.
If you're planning to watch the show, you’ll surely be inspired by the two’s tight-knit bond; I myself couldn’t hold back my tears whenever these two share a touching moment, as well as laugh whenever Lorelai goes off with her signature self-deprecating humor. She’s always been there for Rory through it all—a reminder of our mothers who have always been our rock during turbulent times.
If you also have your mom as your BFF, here’s a nice reminder that talking to your mom over the phone is one way to alleviate your stress. A study even showed that one voice call (if you’re too busy to go home) is nearly as good as getting a hug, reducing a key stress hormone and releasing oxytocin, a.k.a a feel-good brain chemical believed to play a key role in forming bonds.
The findings of such study was a product of a social experiment which had 68 young girls put in a stressful situation, one that involved completing math and verbal problems for 15 minutes in front of an audience. The researchers randomly assigned the girls to do one of four things for another 15 minutes: 1: wait alone with no contact with mom, 2: talk to their moms in person, 3. talk to their moms via phone, or 4. interact with their moms via instant message. Afterward, they measured the girls’ salivary cortisol (a stress hormone) and urinary oxytocin (a hormone linked to bonding, trust, and empathy) levels.
The two groups that could speak to their moms (either in person or over the phone) had higher oxytocin levels (a good thing) than the instant message group and the no-contact group. There was no difference in oxytocin levels between the in-person group and the phone group, which suggests that the benefits lie in hearing mom’s voice being as good as interacting with them physically.
Overall, it suggests that physical contact isn't necessary to comfort stressed-out daughters who may not be fans of ~physical touch~ from their moms. "Just talking with your children may have an effect on reducing the stress response," it stated.
So there you have it, folks. If you’re feeling burned out from work, had your heart broken, or just not feeling ~well~ about life in general, just turn to mom. Like the good ol’ days, she’ll surely be there for you.
Hey mom, if you’re reading this—talk to you soon!
