Kissing is an act of affection and care that brings you closer to your partner and helps check the chemistry between you two. Not only that, the oxytocin hormone released during kissing has various health benefits. This blog outlines the benefits of kissing, which are backed by science and research.
What Is Kiss?
When you touch or press your lips to another person's lips as a sign of affection or love and part your lips slightly, it is called kissing. There are various types of kisses that you can try with your partner, like an American kiss which is one of the most romantic types of kiss that you will frequently see in movies. Another type of kiss that is one step ahead of the American kiss is the French kiss which involves using your tongue. You can start with an American kiss and gradually try a French kiss.
Why Is Kiss Important in a Relationship?
Kissing in a relationship is important because it shows care, love, and affection to your partner. It brings you closer to your partner and helps you connect with them emotionally and physically. It also increases relationship and sexual satisfaction. According to a study, people also kiss to end fights in a relationship. Therefore, kissing is essential for a healthy and loving relationship with your partner. According to the University of Oxford, there are three perspectives about kissing in a relationship:
- It helps to determine the genetic quality of the partner.
- Kissing increases arousal and is used to initiate sex.
- It keeps people in a relationship close for the long term.
Is Kissing Good for Health?
Yes, kissing is good for overall health. While kissing, our body releases oxytocin hormone and dopamine and serotonin chemicals that help reduce stress and boost overall physical and mental health.
Benefits of Kissing
Kissing is beneficial for your physical and psychological health. It is also good for your relationship. Here are some surprising benefits of kissing that you must know.
1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Kissing is a form of physical touch and affection that helps reduce stress and anxiety in partners. Kissing helps reduce the physiological and psychological response of stress on the body and reduces the chances of depression and anxiety. According to research, kissing stimulates the neuroendocrine process and reduces the effect of cortisol, the stress hormone in the body. Overall, kissing is good for your mental health.
2. Uplifts Mood and Makes You Happy
Kissing your partner is one of the best ways to uplift your mood instantly. While kissing, chemicals like dopamine and serotonin are released in the body that relaxes your mind and makes you happy.
3. Increases Bonding with Your Partner
Kissing frequently also increases bonding between partners. A study suggests that both men and women consider kissing as a bonding mechanism with their long-term partners and people kiss less with their short-term partners. Kissing also brings both partners close and is a sign of love and affection.
4. Helps Reduce Blood Pressure
Another intriguing health benefit of kissing is that it improves heart health and reduces the risk of chronic heart diseases. According to research, any form of love and affection is good for your heart as it increases heart rate and reduces blood pressure.
5. Boosts Overall Health
It is said that kissing is good for your overall health as it increases your immunity. This happens because oxytocin released while kissing reduces stress and helps you sleep peacefully. It has a positive impact on your health. Also, the bacteria transferred through the mouth while kissing increase the body's immunological response. According to research, more than 80 million bacteria are transferred while kissing for 10 seconds.
6. Helps Reduce Allergy Symptoms
Kissing also causes a physiological response to allergens. According to a study, people who kissed their partner for 30 minutes showed a decreased response to allergens like dust and mite. It also reduces the body's immunoglobulin response to allergens. Therefore, kissing your partner can help reduce allergic symptoms in the long run.
7. Keeps Gums Healthy
While kissing, there is an increase in saliva production in the mouth that indirectly helps improve oral health.
8. Burns Calories
Kissing can also help burn calories. According to research, kissing can burn between 2 to 26 calories in a minute.
9. Boosts Self-Esteem
Neurotransmitters like oxytocin and dopamine released during kissing increase intimacy between partners. It helps boost self-esteem.
10. Reduces Headache
The happy hormones serotonin and dopamine released during kissing helps reduce headache.
11. Reduces Cholesterol in the Body
You will also be surprised to know that kissing is also beneficial in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Research suggests that increased stress levels are one of the major reasons for higher cholesterol levels in the body. However, since kissing decreases stress and has a positive psychological effect, it helps in reducing serum cholesterol levels in the body and improves blood lipids.
12. Helps Tone Your Facial Muscles
According to research, kissing requires the movement of 23 to 34 facial muscles and 112 postural muscles. Therefore, kissing more often can also help tone your facial muscles.
13. Improves Libido
It is also believed that kissing improves sexual drive in women.
14. Helps You Check Compatibility
Kissing is also essential for women to check sexual compatibility with their partners. According to a study, 66% of women were attracted to a partner before getting involved with them sexually, but the attraction faded away soon after having their first kiss. Therefore, the first kiss can be a determining factor for the relationship's future. Kissing your partner is one of the best ways to check whether you subconsciously see a future with that partner.
15. Increases the Chances of Orgasm for Women
Kissing often is also beneficial for orgasm in women as it releases the oxytocin hormone. According to research, oxytocin plays a crucial role in helping women orgasm. It also boosts reproductive health and decreases the chance of infertility. Therefore, if you have difficulty having an orgasm during sex, you can increase the frequency of kisses with your partner.
16. Provides Skin Glow
Along with several other health benefits, kissing also helps your skin glow. According to research, oxytocin or the love hormone, is reduced during kissing, reducing stress and enabling you to sleep better. It helps reduce skin problems like eczema, acne, and rosacea by decreasing skin inflammation. Research also suggests that oxytocin helps slow down skin ageing and gives youthful-looking skin. As a result, you get healthy and glowing skin.
17. Reduces Cramps
Oxytocin released during kissing can relax your mind and dilate blood vessels. This helps increase blood pressure and reduces menstrual cramps.
18. Makes Sex More Pleasurable
Kissing is also an important affectionate behaviour during sex. It can make sex pleasurable for both partners as it increases sexual arousal. A Study suggests that people who kiss more have greater sexual and relationship satisfaction. Also, the study shows that the majority of people consider that kissing is important before, after and during sex, and kissing is more likely to lead to sex. The chances of women having sex with a short-term or long-term partner without kissing first are low.
Facts About Kissing
Here are some interesting facts about kissing that will blow your mind.
- The longest kissing record is of a Thailand couple who kissed continuously for 58 hours and 35 minutes.
- A passionate kiss can help you burn 20 calories per minute
- According to a study, people prefer more tongue contact while kissing before initiating sexual intercourse.
- Study also suggests that women are more likely to focus on kissing to check for compatibility in comparison to men
How to Kiss?
If you are wondering how to kiss, here are a few simple steps that might help you.
- Before making the lips touch, come closer to your partner and maintain eye contact with them.
- Make sure that you have their consent to kiss.
- Slowly tilt your face and bring your lips closer to your partner's lips and let them touch gently.
- You can make the kiss deeper by increasing your rhythm.
- Hold your partner close by placing your hands on their waist or behind their head.
- You can also use the tongue gradually.
Disadvantages of Kissing
Even though kissing has several health benefits, there are some disadvantages of kissing as well:
1. Transfer Virus
The exchange of saliva during kissing can transfer different viruses like cold, glandular fever, herpes, hepatitis B, and warts.
2. Bacterial Infections
Kissing an infected person can also cause bacterial infections like meningitis and tooth decay.
3. Cavities
Kissing can also result in tooth cavities.
4. May Increase Skin Irritation
Bringing your face close to another person while kissing can cause problems like skin irritation and rashes on the face.
Summing Up on Benefits of Kissing
You must already know by now that kissing has several health benefits like reducing stress and anxiety, improving heart health, decreasing cholesterol levels, reducing headaches and more. There are also other benefits of kissing like increasing bonding between partners, improving sexual satisfaction and helping women get an orgasm.
FAQs
Can Kissing Cause Delay in Periods?
No, kissing does not have any effect on your menstrual cycle. It cannot cause a delay in periods.
Is Daily Kissing Good for Health?
Yes, kissing daily is good for health as it reduces stress and anxiety and helps you sleep better. It also reduces blood pressure and cholesterol.
What Is the Best Kind of Kiss?
The best kind of kiss is the one that both partners prefer. The American kiss is usually considered the most romantic, whereas the French kiss is more passionate.
Why Is Kissing Important to a Woman?
Studies suggest that kissing is important to women as it helps them check their compatibility and chemistry with their partners.
References
- American Journal of Medicine Blog, Philematology: The Science of Kissing - https://amjmed.org/science-of-kissing/
- The Role of the “Love Hormone” On Our Skin’s Health - https://drzenovia.com/blogs/skin-journal/love-hormone-oxytocin-role-on-skins-health
- Susan M. Hughes, July 2007; Sex Differences in Romantic Kissing among College Students: An Evolutionary Perspective - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/147470490700500310
