What Everyone Needs to Know About the Cuddle Chemical

The power of touch has long been cited as being super beneficial for overall wellbeing and it all comes down to a rather marvellous hormone and neurotransmitter called Oxytocin.

Also known as the cuddle chemical, moral molecule or the love hormone, it plays a huge role in bonding and love. It is also the perfect antidote to stress hormones and even depression. It builds empathy, trust and attachment, combats anxiety and improves psychological stability. It can boost immune function and perhaps even speed up tissue healing. AND incredibly it can help heal heart tissue after acute or chronic injury - it can quite literally heal a broken heart! Sound good? Do you want more of it circulating in your body now? Too right! So how can we get more of it?

Simple… MASSAGE.

What most of us don’t know is that massage has been shown in research to significantly increase the levels of oxytocin in the body and lower levels of stress hormones. WIN WIN!

The power of the nurturing touch of massage is so important. When we aren’t touched very often we have low levels of oxytocin and often don’t want touch. However, the more we receive it, the more your oxytocin levels rise and this has the knock on effect of wanting and liking more touch. Clever!

For many of us there is a lack of nurturing touch in our lives for many reasons. Massage can provide a well reported way of boosting your wellbeing. The additional musculoskeletal benefits are not to be forgotten too!

There are a few other ways to get a boost of oxytocin. There’s childbirth and breastfeeding, sex and orgasm, alternatively, a more simple solution for some of us is MASSAGE! Hooray!!

So, your “ONE Thing” to get more of this week is oxytocin….The method of getting it is entirely up to you!

 

Give us a call on 01548 852 355 and book yourself in for a massage to get all these wonderful benefits