There’s more to kissing than meets the eye! Not that you really need an excuse (or the 10 Health Fitness Revolution about to give you) to make kissing a priority, but it triggers a whole spectrum of physiological processes that can boost your immunity and generally spruce up that body you work so hard to keep attractive- kissing is good for your health. To read the article about the Health Benefits of Sex we wrote, click here.
- It Boosts Happiness: Oxytocin is a brain chemical that is released when we kiss- it is responsible for helping to create feelings of pleasure, intimacy, and bonding. When we kiss, our brains respond by releasing this feel-good chemical that helps us feel connected to and trusting of our mates.
- It Lowers Stress Levels: kissing lowers our cortisol levels. Cortisol is our stress hormone and it has a negative effect on our immune system, endocrine system and brain health, specifically the hippocampus, helping you relax and unwind.
- It Burns Calories: kissing for over a minute could burn 25-plus calories. Sure, kissing may not burn as many calories as, say, running a mile, but it does pump up your metabolism to about twice its usual rate.
- Our Bodies Find the Right Mate: During kissing, we exchange vital physiological information via saliva, including information related to our major histocompatibility complex (MHC). MHC is a collection of genes associated with our immune system, and biologically, it’s important for partners to bring different immune system genes to the table so that their offspring will have a better opportunity for survival. Kissing subconsciously lets us know if we are kissing someone who is too similar to our bloodline.
- Boosts Immunity: if you are both healthy and well, kissing can actually help to boost your immune system. Research from the journalMedical Hypotheses suggests that kissing might actually boost a woman’s immunity to certain diseases. This boosts becomes heightened if kissing leads to sex.
- Increases Life Span: A study from University College London collected research that found that men who kiss their significant others good-bye were less likely to get into a car accident on the way to work. Just another reason not to rush out the door without a good-bye kiss!
- Keeps You Youthful: Kissing uses more than 30 muscles in the face! When you pucker up, you are helping to keep those muscles taut, strong, and younger looking!
- Intensifies Arousal: Kissing is a great primer for sex- and frequent sex can enhance everything from heart health to your self-esteem.
- Its a Marriage Booster: frequent kissers may have stronger marriages because it is great for mental and emotional health. A 2011 study from the Kinsey Institute in Bloomington, Indiana, found that kissing, cuddling, and other forms of affection were important predictors for relationship satisfaction.
- Natural Pain Killer: During a heated, heart-racing kind of kiss, your body releases adrenaline, which can actually reduce feelings of pain.
