The entire nation is celebrating Valentine's week. The week commenced with Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Hug Day, and now it culminates with the two most significant days: Kiss Day and Valentine's Day. Today is the 13th of February, the penultimate day of Valentine's week, dedicated to kissing. The kiss, Kissing has been a universal expression of affection and love for centuries, and it turns out it's not just good for your heart, but also beneficial for your health.
Here are some of the surprising health benefits of kissing:
- Boosts happy hormones: Kissing triggers the release of a cocktail of feel-good chemicals in your brain, including oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. These chemicals can elevate your mood, reduce stress, and promote feelings of bonding and attachment.
- Lowers stress and anxiety: The release of oxytocin during kissing also has a calming effect, lowering cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and promoting relaxation.
- Boosts immunity: Sharing saliva through kissing can expose you to a small amount of your partner's bacteria, which can actually help to strengthen your immune system. This is especially true for couples who have been together for a long time and have developed a shared microbiome.
- Reduces pain: Kissing can actually help to reduce pain by distracting you from it and releasing endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
- Improves dental health: Kissing increases saliva production, which can help to wash away food particles and bacteria, reducing the risk of cavities and gum disease.
- Burns calories: A passionate kiss can burn up to 26 calories per minute! Not a huge workout, but hey, every little bit counts!
- Keeps your facial muscles toned: Kissing uses up to 34 facial muscles, giving them a bit of a workout and potentially helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
It's important to note that these benefits are most likely to be experienced when kissing someone you are close to and trust. Kissing a stranger, on the other hand, could pose some health risks, as it could expose you to harmful bacteria or viruses. So, pucker up responsibly and enjoy the many health benefits of kissing!