Hi, friends. You might notice something a little different about this episode. That's because it's part of the moment of calm. You'll hear different theme music that is quieter and calmer. That makes these episodes great for winding down before bedtime or when you just need a few minutes to relax.

Thanks for listening.

From the brains behind brains on, this is the moment of um.

Answering those questions that make you go, um. Moment of Um comes to you from APM Studios. I'm Teddy. Teddy Bear.

I know. My name isn't very original, especially for an actual teddy bear.

My owner Kimberly just got me.

I'm a brand new stuffed bear, fresh off the toy store shelves.

I've got brown fur, green eyes, and I'm hoping Kimberly will come up with

a new name for me, like Sven or Diego, or maybe Bertrand P. Bairman. Oh, oh, maybe I should come up

with a fun name for her, too, like Kimberley.

I'm also a tiny bit worried about this whole cuddling thing.

All the other stuffed animals on the bed are talking about it.

Apparently, it's going to involve her squeezing me and rubbing her head against mine and holding me all night long.

I gotta say, I'm kind of nervous about it.

But I also don't want her to ignore me.

I want to know what this whole cuddling thing is about.

Like, why do humans cuddle?

What's the big to do?

I wonder if anyone has the answer to that question.

Cuddling is a way of expressing love or attention by touching.

My name is India Morrison, and I'm a professor of neuroscience, which is the study of how the brain works.

Why does cuddling make you feel good?

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