But only if you love her...
Twelve- and thirteen-year-old girls who had phone calls with their mothers had an oxytocin response that counteracted stress.
The research, by Leslie Seltzer of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, included only girls who reported good relationships with their mothers. (For some people, talking on the phone to Mom is stressful in itself.)
Interestingly, instant messaging with mothers did not produce the oxytocin response in this study.
Earlier research by Seth Pollack, also of U of Wisconsin, found the same effect in girls seven to 12 years old.
If your relationship with your mother is rocky, you will likely get the same benefit by calling a good friend or other family member.
