There’s a reason we like to get hugs. Hugs can boost our mood and can even ease feelings of pain and anxiety. And according to a German study, the benefits of a hug don’t even have to come from a human – they can come from a robot! The research found that babies need regular hugs … but those hugs need to come from their parents to be beneficial. But when it comes to adults, the benefits of a hug – even a brief one – can come from a human, a pet, a robot, a weighted blanket, or even a pillow.