OXYTOCIN

Oxytocin is known as the hormone of love and connection, because levels of oxytocin increase during hugging, kissing, playing, giving, laughing and orgasm. It’s the hormone that are being boosted when we have a baby, during breastfeeding, intimacy and connection. All the good things in life are associated with oxytocin.

Suprise, suprise: oxytocin and cortisol, our stress hormone, have a love-hate relationship. Essentially, when one goes up, the other is forced to godown. Oxytocin reduces cortisol, but if we are stressed all the time, the demand for cortisol goes up, and oxytocin goes down. So when we are stressed, cortisol gets high and oxytocin low, which is why stress can lead us to feel disconnected, as we don’t actually are able to feel the love for the people or the things that we love. Even if you do love someone, without oxytocin, you aren’t able to have that loving connection.

Most of us need more oxytocin to counter our stress, so here’s ways to create more oxytocin in your life

- Hug
- Laugh
- Play
- Look into someone’s eyes and smile
- Be intimate with your partner
- Connect and go deeper with the people you love
- Orgasm
- Give gratitude
- Give love
- Practice mindfullness