In a city where the “Silicon Valley” hustle and bustle collide, the residents of Bengaluru are getting richer in digital connections — and bankrupt in a human one. This emotional shortfall has created a strange and developing world: Professional Cuddle Therapy, or "professional snuggling".
The idea of paying for a hug might come across as scary but it is rapidly turning out to be a vital mental health support for many professionals in Bengaluru aged between 32 and 35. Since February 2026, this trend has shifted from social media on the fringes into a structured, high-demand service in the urban Indian population.
What is Cuddle Therapy?
Cuddle therapy is non-sexual, platonic touch therapy. Unlike massage, which centers on muscles, a cuddle session is about emotional presence and the biological need to be together. Some trained practitioners, known as “cuddlers,” offer services that go beyond holding hands and listening to a long, restorative hug or “spooning” in a safe, fully clothed room.
The Science Behind the “Feel-Good” Hormone
Not the kind of social fad, it’s not, but the popularity of this therapy and its origins is in neurochemistry. That means physical touch prompts the release of Oxytocin, referred to frequently as the bonding hormone or the “cuddle chemical.”
Oxytocin vs. Cortisol: When you hug a person for 20 seconds plus, they release more oxytocin, effectively neutralizing cortisol, which is the major stress hormone of the body.
Benefits: This chemical change can cause decreased blood pressure, lowered anxiety, better sleep quality and overall increase a sense of safety. For an entire demographic continually battling work deadlines and long commutes, this “oxytocin hit” provides a momentary respite from the fight or flight state of modern city living.
The Economics of Affection
Professional companionship in Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai is no longer an inexpensive service. A standard session may run anywhere from ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 per hour, however, there are premium service providers who charge up to ₹15,000 for longer sessions. Platforms such as Ko-Partner and other focused wellness studios have developed to fill the void. These platforms use AI to match users based on interests and location, ensuring that the interaction feels more like "professional friendship" than a clinical transaction.
Rules of Engagement: Safety and Boundaries
Platonic Only: Sexual arousal and sexual suggestive behavior is considered prohibited, the session ends immediately. It may include some sessions held in dedicated studios, but a large number of initial meetings are conducted in public, to build trust and set boundaries.
A Temporary Bridge, Not a Permanent Cure
Psychologists agree touch has benefits, but many caution that “paying for a hug” serves as a symptom, rather than the cure, for long-standing loneliness. Experts say that although cuddle therapy can offer a momentary emotional boost, it will never substitute for the more organic construction of a support system.
Any “lonely” urbanite’s ultimate goal should be to translate the comfort gleaned from a paid session into real-world courage (sometimes a painful one, but a real one), to find courage to connect with your friends, reach out to, reconcile with, or join a community group where touch is a mundane and free, organic side effect of true human connection.
