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It is clear to us that cuddling feels good and make people happy. But this week I’ve been thinking, what is it in cuddling that makes us so happy and feel so good?
There is actually a biochemical reason behind it.
Your skin is your connection to the world around you, and touch releases special hormones in your body and also inhibits stress hormones. A loving tender kind of touch can potentially:
Increase oxytocin, a hormone that is good for heart and makes you bond with others.
Drops cortisol levels, the stress hormone.
Trigger dopamine, the pleasure hormone that gives you that good feeling.
How can this affect your health?
It will make you sleep better. There are studies that have shown that an intake of oxytocin makes the quality of the sleep so much better.
Physical touch can help you stop comfort eating. You have pleasure already! so you don´t need so much to eat for pleasure.
You can strengthen your immune system with a release of oxytocin, as there are regulatory cells in your gut that are responsible for keeping your immune system in balance, and they are boosted with the oxytocin release. It can increase the production of hormones that help fight an infection.
Pain relief. Cuddling can give you the oxytocin boost that will decrease your pain levels. Give it a go.
You can reduce your anxiety by cuddling. I´m sure you have experience this very clearly.
Oxytocin reduces your stress, your anxiety and helps calming you down and lowering your blood pressure. All of these are risk factors for heart disease.
So don´t wait. Or if you are living alone and in lockdown, sort out your support cuddly bubble, or time to make your contacts so you will be cuddling soon!
Stay safe all of you,
Mummy
