Oh dear... are we talking about race bikes that you would ride for an hour and believe you feel comfortable, or where comfort is not even a factor?
We aren't talking about race bikes in this thread, we are talking about a hybrid and the need for comfort is an outcome that needs somewhat different approaches -- primarily, as jazzy cyclist says, in relation to the height of the bars.
For most people, the height of the bars is one of the most crucial things in bike fit!
While this tends to be somewhat less of a problem with hybrids, for those who prefer "true" 'road bikes' (complete with drop bars), the bars being "too low" will both hurt, AND render the drops useless!! (And, as I've said before, if you cannot use the "drops", why bother with a drop bar?)
I ride randonnees, up to 1200km in 90 hours. Bike fit and comfort are essential (along with a Brooks B17 saddle
). One of the first things that you *have* to do is maintain hand comfort, and getting the seat and handlebar height right is a start. Then the distance from seat to handlebars comes next. That may involve changing the stem to a different length, or moving the seat on its rails backward or forwards.
Bike fit and comfort are also essential for "everyday", utility cycling! Don't kid yourselves: if you aren't comfortable, you won't ride!
Not all of us will love a Brooks saddle! 
BUT...for both positioning ON the saddle AND hand comfort, seat height and the "cockpit" measurement--which are being talked about here--are critical!
Lifting the handlebar height also is appropriate as we age, largely because of mobility issues in the neck, not necessarily in core body strength.
Riders of ALL AGES vary in flexibility and core strength. For most, raising the handlebars is appropriate!
Another problem that has arisen with bike fit and handlebar height is the propensity of bike shops/distributors to cut the steer tubes low on (road) bikes equipped with aheadsets. Compared with the old quill system that could be raised (within limits), there are few options left after a steerer tube has been cut without going to highly angled stems.
Unfortunately, bike shops/distributors tend to cut the steerer tubes too short on most bikes equipped with "threadless" stems, not just road bikes! The quill system was no panacea either: The majority of quill stems were ALSO very short (the height they were set in the shop was, more often than not, the max. extension available anyway!)--stems such as the Nitto Technomic were not exactly stock equipment, then or now!
Highly-angled (or the so-called adjustable) stems are a necessity...though a less-than-ideal one.
FWIW I also run bike courses where fit is an essential element -- around 150 happily fitted people without computers and tape measures.
Whilever advice is offered on *race bike* fit to people who are essential recreational cyclists riding bikes other than race bikes, we are going to continue to have questions on why bikes hurt so much to ride, particularly because of pressure on the hands.
Pressure on the hands is probably the most intractable problem cyclists face...even more than the "numb butt"/"bad saddle" one, IMHO. (The saddle problem is actually easier to solve!!)
I often believe that padded gloves and gel padding for the bars is not the solution -- bike fit is.
Good point!
Padded gloves and padded bars/bar tape are more useful--within reason--more for vibration absorption (gel padding on bars/bar tape/grips) or as "extra" protection against abrasions or other injuries in case of a fall (padded gloves).
TOO MUCH "padding", however, can be counterproductive--especially for those (such as myself) who have smaller-than-normal hands. An artificially "too fat" bar is hard to hold onto and can actually cause discomfort or injury just from the stress of trying to "hold-on" to the bar.