A gentle touch, a relaxing massage or a firm hug – all these kinds of human contact can alleviate pain, depression and anxiety in adults and children, according to a new analysis of more than 130 international studies. Not only human touch, but also that of robots and cuddly toys makes a difference, according to the analysis, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour by a research team based in Germany and the Netherlands. “Touch that is desired improves the well-being of people with illnesses in clinical situations as well as healthy people,” explained study author Julian Packheiser fro…