Kissing is something that we do often, but seldom truly think about. Scientists believe that kissing evolved as a way of evaluating potential mates in our ancient ancestors (an extreme close-up, after all, reveals a lot more than a coy glance across the cave). By becoming so close to your partner that your faces actually touch, you are opening your body language up, saying without words “I trust you on a subconscious level, enough to let you get this close without being guarded about it.”
While the techniques are vast and varied, it seems that all types of kissing have the great side effect of actually lowering stress. In a clinical study, scientists measured the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, before and after couples kissed. In both men and women, cortisol dropped measurably after the kiss, hinting that kissing may hold bigger benefits than just being a whole lot of fun to engage in.
In addition to the biological benefits, it is a common theme for couples that have been married happily for long periods of time to mention that they make time to kiss each other. As the old saying goes, “Always Kiss Me Goodnight” – it’s very hard to stay mad at someone when you’re actively kissing them! So pucker up and lay one on your partner – after all, it may just lead to something a little bit more intimate and stress-relieving.
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Tags: Affection, Closeness, Connection, Intimacy, Intimate, Kiss, Kisses, Kissing, Love, Science, Stress Relieving
