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- Love offers many benefits that are not only physical.
- According to health experts, the sleep-promoting hormone oxytocin, often called the "love hormone," is released when sleeping with your loved one.
- Intimate moments, including sex, cuddling and holding hands, can boost your oxytocin levels.
Love offers many benefits, including ones related to your health and well-being.
It can offer emotional support and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Moreover, it also enhances self-esteem and confidence, reducing the risk of sexual dysfunction problems such as premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction caused by psychological factors.
It also improves sleep frequency and quality overall.
Researchers reveal that people who receive affection and companionship are more likely to have fewer doctor's visits, live longer and have lower levels of anxiety and depression.
The oxytocin, released during time spent with a loved one, can increase feelings of trust and reduce anxiety and stress, leading to better sleep quality. The sleep-promoting hormone often called the "love hormone", is released when sleeping with your loved one, according to health experts from UK Online Pharmacy Chemist Click.
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"Intimate moments, including sex, cuddling and holding hands, can boost your oxytocin levels. Oxytocin can also undo cortisol's effects and restore the body's balance, improving immune function and your chances of fighting viruses and infections," says pharmacist Abbas Kanani.
"Sleep centres in your brain can be affected by inflammation, and chronic inflammation from fibromyalgia can affect the functioning of your hypothalamus, making it very difficult for you to sleep at night."
He adds that oxytocin is not the only hormone to play a role when it comes to love and improved sleep. Dopamine is often associated with wakefulness; however, it is also linked with feelings of pleasure, which helps to improve the mood and overall well-being of couples, leading to a better night's sleep.
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"Being close to the person you love can trigger a dopamine release, or a 'dopamine rush' leaving you feeling pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. Both oxytocin and dopamine, released during intimate moments, enhance brain function and improve memory and cognitive abilities," he adds.
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Abbas shares that couples in love are also more likely to have increased feelings of happiness and contentment thanks to serotonin. "This neurotransmitter affects mood and social behaviour, leading to a more relaxed state and better-quality sleep."
When relaxation time is restricted, blood pressure doesn't decline as it should, which could lead to cells in blood vessel walls that activate inflammation. Endorphins, stimulated by love and physical affection, may help relieve pain. These hormones are the body's natural painkillers, helping to alleviate discomfort and aiding a more comfortable night's sleep.
