- Image via Wikipedia
A very neat thing happens when you get close to someone for awhile. Any non violent touch between higher life forms (mammals in general, and humans and apes in particular) causes a chemical to be produced in your brain. This chemical, called Oxytocin, is known as the “cuddle chemical.” And it is called this because it is produced when you cuddle with someone you love. All physical love is strengthened by the presence of oxytocin – and without it, it would be very possible that mothers would take very little care of their children. Sad as it is, even mother’s love is a chemical reaction, just like vinegar and baking soda.
When an infant sucks on its mother’s nipples, it causes her brain to release a rush of oxytocin. And when the woman’s lover does the same thing, it causes the exact same effect. When a pair of lovers hold one another in a restaurant while they await their meal, the connection they feel is built out of oxytocin. The warmth two people experience together, and the feeling of connectedness that they share are both caused, again, by an oxytocin reaction in their brains. In short, in nearly every occasion in which two higher life forms feel emotionally connected to one another, there is an oxytocin reaction in place.
And oxytocin does more than just make you feel good. It also produces a calming effect that lowers your heart rate. Positive brain chemistry of this nature does more than just make you feel good “in the moment” – it can also help you to live a longer and healthier life overall. Since the oxytocin you experience when you connect with someone is a pleasant sensation, seek it out more often. It’s in your best interests to cuddle someone, if you can.
