Oxytocine and being single

Oh, we need oxytocin! As singles, we have to be a little careful not to get a shortage of this hormone. We all need hugs and love. But what is oxytocin? Oxytocin is also called the hugging hormone, the happiness hormone. This hormone is released with every touch, from a pat on the back to a wild night of sex. And what exactly is it good for? Among other things, it calms you down, anxiety decreases, stress levels go down and you gain more confidence in yourself! In addition, it also has all kinds of good effects on how our bodies function, such as our digestive tract. Where can you buy it? Yes, it can be bought as a supplement, but in this article I’m going to tell you how you can produce more oxytocin without any medication. Unfortunately, holding hands or wrapping your arms around yourself doesn’t work either, so how do we solve this?

Compliments
Yes, compliments! We often forget to give them to each other, but it can make someone’s day. It’s heartening to give compliments, especially unexpected ones. Compliment someone on a nice outfit, notice when someone has had a haircut or is wearing new glasses. Also, complimenting your colleague on his or her work is really allowed to be said every now and then!

Hugs
Cuddling is super healthy! Of course, being single doesn’t mean we never cuddle. A hug from family, a friend or girlfriend from time to time is always nice. Try to give a real hug and not one of those fleeting just-not-really-a-hug-hugs. Many studies have shown that we experience less stress, are less anxious, our blood pressure goes down and it makes you happier. So every once in a while, find a pair of arms to hold you for a while!

Music
Yes, you read it right, no physical touch required. Music has a special effect on our brains, including our oxytocin levels. Not only listening to music, but also making music and singing together increases this even more. Singing together also increases the feeling of connectedness with others.

Hairy friends
And not only from cuddling people do we get this hormone, no also from cuddling animals. The effects of petting and cuddling animals is often underestimated. Not only does it make the animal happy, it makes you happy too. Besides support, we also find love with our precious hairy friends. Petting lowers the blood pressure and releases the cuddle hormone. My cat and I are probably addicted to oxytocin, since we prefer to sit together all day long.

Meditating
There are special meditations where you can increase your oxytocin levels. Research has shown that Compassion meditations decrease the stress hormone cortisol and raise oxytocin levels. These meditations focus on touch, for example, touching the feet with the hands. Meditations that focus on loving yourself, called Metta meditation. You learn to appreciate yourself and others. As a result, you will experience a sense of self-compassion and connectedness. You can find meditations on the Internet that focus on this.

Virtuele hug!