10 Great Benefits Of Kissing Physical And Emotional Health

A kiss is such a central demonstration of love and passion in our world that it is hard for us to imagine that there are people who do not kiss. However, a kiss – at least in its “romantic sexual” expression, defined as “lip-to-lip contact that may or may not last” – It is present in only 46% of the world’s cultures. This conclusion was reached in a study published in 2015 that analyzed 168 different cultures.

The fact is that kisses are associated with happy moments and bring joy and prosperity. And on that day International Kiss Day, Which is celebrated every April 13, it is noteworthy that kisses also bring many additional benefits, some of which are surprising. The most important are listed below.

1. Help find the right partner

Various studies have found that kissing plays an important role in our societies when assessing whether another person meets the conditions to be the right partner. Moreover, The first kiss can be fundamental For link continuity (if not).

And not just in the beginning: a kiss promotes bonding and therefore strengthens the relationship between the couple. In fact, the couples who kiss the most A more satisfied relationshipAccording to a survey based on a survey of more than 900 people aged 18 to 63 in the United Kingdom.

There are also hints (discovered by Belgian scientists) that Pheromones Could play a fundamental role in kissing. Their perception can have a positive effect on a woman’s mood and sexual reaction and, ultimately, on choosing a partner.

2. Improves mood

A kiss is a kind “Natural medicine“Because they cause the secretion of pleasure substances in the body. Neurotransmitters such as endorphins and oxytocin, the so-called “love hormone”, are released. This opens up – at least in part – a larger bond between which a kiss is both a cause and a result.

In addition, kissing activates the brain’s reward system and triggers the production of dopamine. According to an MRI study, the action of the “pleasure hormone” during a passionate kiss can be so strong that Produced by similar substances As cocaine or heroin.

3. Reduce stress

In addition to the effects mentioned in the previous paragraph, there is another one that is also important: the reduction of cortisol, the “stress hormone”. All of this explains why, in addition to physical pleasure, a kiss evokes the emotional well-being that it looks like. Forget all the problemsFor at least a few minutes.

4. Increases sexual desire

This is almost obvious, but it does not mean that we should stop mentioning it: kisses are usually The first step in sex, For the pleasure, well-being, and drive that they create from the chemical effects already mentioned in the pair. And others that occur simultaneously, such as the production of serotonin, testosterone, and vasopressin.

By the way, a 2018 study showed that “deep kisses” for women during sex Increase the chance of getting an orgasm. There have even been cases for whom a kiss is enough to reach a climax.

Maybe that’s why Women value kissing more than men, As suggested by a study conducted by the University of Albany in the United States. Only 14.6% of them said they would have sex with someone they had not kissed before, compared to 52.8% of men.

According to the same document, women are also more likely than men to “throw away” their partner because of a bad kiss.

5. Strengthens the immune system

The positive effects mentioned so far can be obvious and almost logical. But it also causes a kiss Health benefits Often unknown and unexpected. For example, the fact that the immune system benefits from the exchange of saliva that occurs during a kiss.

A study by Dutch scientists estimated the number of bacteria exchanged in a ten-second kiss at about 80 million. However, a review of studies published in a specialized journal American Journal of Medicine Notes that the number of bacteria involved can be reached 1 billion.

According to these texts, these bacteria can be up to 278 different species and about 95% of them are not problematic for people with healthy immune systems. In couples who kiss each other for at least nine 10 seconds a day, Salivary microbiota -Bacterial composition of their saliva- Is similar.

6. Promotes oral health

On the other hand, beyond the composition of the oral microbiome, kissing also stimulates saliva production. And more saliva helps Fights bacterial plaquesWhich is a major cause of caries and other health problems of the teeth and the rest of the oral cavity.

7. Promotes skin health

Kissing causes an increase in blood flow to the facial area. And this leads to an increase in the production of collagen and elastin. Since these proteins are the two main nutrients for the skin – they are responsible for it Strength and elasticityConsequently, it can be said that a kiss also revitalizes the skin and delays the appearance of wrinkles.

8. Strengthens facial muscles and burns calories

This greater blood flow is due to the fact that kissing the facial muscles is a physical activity. During a passionate kiss, Work 23 to 34 facial musclesWhich can take up to 112 postures and consume up to 26 calories per minute.

It is not that a person will lose weight thanks to this exercise, but it is known that any physical activity is better than doing nothing. These data are also taken from the above article in the American Journal of Medicine.

9. Lowers cholesterol

One of the most interesting effects of a kiss lies in its effect on serum cholesterol: it lowers it because of it. Hormonal changes And in blood-transported lipids. This was one of the findings of the study, which also confirmed that more kissing frequencies correspond to couples who are less stressed and more satisfied with the relationship.

10. Improves the quality of life

Other studies indicate that kissing To alleviate the consequences of certain allergies. And there is even a study dating back to the 1980s, in Germany, which found that men and women who kissed their partners on the way to work in the morning lived an average of five years longer than those who did not kiss that morning kiss.

And not only that: according to that text, the first group of people as well Had fewer illnesses and car crashes And they even made 20% to 35% more money than the members of the second group. In short, the effects of a kiss are so many and so positive that there is no reason not to do it as best you can.

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