They might not seem like much—but studies show that small physical gestures, such as high fives and fist bumps, pats on the hand and all sorts of little touches, result in surprisingly positive behavior changes. University of California-Berkeley researchers found that National Basketball Association teams whose players had lots of positive physical contact with one another played better than teams that did not. High fives do more than feel good—they encourage cooperation, ease stress, and create a warm and trusting collegial environment. So, go ahead, hug your family members often, give your children all the affectionate physical contact you can, and don’t hesitate to connect with nonfamily members by touching their hands or patting their backs. It’s powerful medicine.