National Kissing Day: Get Back to Basics

Did you know kissing is good for your health AND your sex life? A peck, smooch or a snog… intimacy is simpler than you think!

Read on to learn more about why getting back to basics and having a good make-out sesh could be the best thing you do this National Kissing Day.

So, Why Do We like Kissing?

It is believed that kissing is one way we assess potential partners! Not only is it a great way to tell if you feel in sync with another person, but it allows you to get close enough to smell and taste them. Getting a nostril full of their natural scent allows your immune system to figure out if they are a genetically good match.

Additionally, some studies have suggested that kissing is a way to introduce sex hormones, driving libido and making your chosen partner more sexually receptive. Plus, it makes you feel good! The cocktail of hormones produced from a kiss makes you feel on cloud nine, which has a load of its own benefits.

Other than making you feel mentally great, a quick snog also physically feels fabulous. Your lips are packed with nerve endings, more so than any other part of your body. Combined with all that oxytocin and dopamine, no wonder people love to pucker up.

5 Reasons Kissing Is Good for You

There are tonnes of reasons that smooching is good for your mental and physical health, but we’ve picked a few of our favourites!

1. It releases ‘happy hormones’. Kisses release a mixture of chemicals, including oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, making you feel blissfully happy. It’s also been found to lower cortisol levels, which are linked to stress.
2. Your relationship might last longer. A 2013 study found that couples who kissed more frequently experienced increased relationship satisfaction. Plus, the oxytocin released has been linked to ‘pair bonding’.
3. It’s good for your immune system. Playing tongue tennis improves your immune system by exposing you to a whole host of new germs. Apparently, we can share around 80 million bacteria during a 10-second kiss. And couples who kiss often have been found to share the same microbiota in their mouths!
4. It boosts self-esteem and relieves stress & anxiety. The drop in cortisol after a kiss can lead to improved self-image and anxiety over time. There are worse ways to work on yourself – You are prescribed kissing therapy!
5. It can lower your blood pressure. Snogging increases your heart rate, which in turn causes your blood vessels to dilate to pump blood around your body more efficiently. This brings down your blood pressure, reducing headaches and even period cramps!

The Best Kissing Sex Position

Tell us all about your favourite, funniest or most embarrassing kissing moments in the comments below!

Related