Isn’t cuddling the best? It keeps you warm, comfy and relaxed, bringing you closer to your loved ones. Whether it is your partner, child, or even a puppy, cuddling with a snuggle buddy can boost your mood and your health.
Here are six reasons why you should always make time for a cuddle session:
1) It boosts your feel-good hormones.
Cuddling actually increases your overall happiness! According to Shape magazine, cuddling stimulates the release of your feel-good hormones, including oxytocin, which creates an overall sense of well-being and joy.
Touching someone releases other chemicals called endorphins, which also get released after working out or eating dessert — you know the feeling! Dopamine and serotonin are other hormones that get released by cuddling, which can further improve your mood and help curb depression.
2) It can protect your heart.
Oxytocin does much more than just make you feel better. It can also help lower your blood pressure, which is a key risk factor for heart disease.
According to Women’s Health Magazine, the release of feel-good hormones from cuddling can also boost your immunity and help fend off sickness.
3) It makes you sleep better.
Cuddling tells your brain to cut back the production of your stress hormone, cortisol, and lowers your stress and anxiety. According to Women’s Health Magazine, this makes you more likely to fall asleep at a reasonable hour and get a good night snooze.
4) It helps moms bond with their babies.
Cuddling does more than bringing couples together, it also strengthens the bond between a mother and her baby! According to Shape Magazine, oxytocin release can inspire good feelings between women and their babies, and help moms relax so that breastfeeding comes more easily.
5) It improves your sex life!
Need we say more? Cuddling can lead to fun sexy time, and it helps bring you closer to your partner in the physical sense.
Post-sex cuddling, on the other hand, can be a critical time to improve your intimate bond with your partner. According to a study from the Archives of Sexual Behavior, couples who snuggle up after sex are more satisfied with their sex life and relationship.
6) It enhances your relationship.
According to a recent study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships cited by Mic.com, general attempts at physical intimacy, such as cuddling, can lead to increased relationship satisfaction, relationship stability, better communication, and less conflict in heterosexual relationships.
Small physical connections might get lost in long-term bonds, yet as Mic.com states, frequent physical contact has a huge impact on relationships. It is not just about sex! Simply snuggling or kissing have significant roles in strengthening relationships and make them more stable.
So no excuses! Make time to bundle up with your baby, partner, or even your furry friend to reap the happy and long-lasting health benefits cuddling has to offer.
Sources:
5 Health Reasons to Make Time For Cuddling. Shape. Retrieved on July 12, 2015.
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/sex-and-love/5-health-reasons-make-time-cuddling
6 Amazing Benefits of Cuddling. Women’s Health Magazine. Retrieved on July 12, 2015.
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/cuddling-benefits
Muise A., Giang E., Impett E. A. (2014). Post sex affectionate exchanges promote sexual and relationship satisfaction. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 43(7): 1391-402.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24777441
Science Shows People Who Love Cuddling Have a Proven Advantage Over Everyone Else. Mic.com. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
http://mic.com/articles/111354/science-has-good-news-for-couples-that-start-the-night-with-cuddling
Reviewed July 13, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith