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Why do people kiss?
Does Kissing Make you Feel High?
Why does kissing Feel So Good?
How does kissing affect a relationship?
- Kissing can aid in mate selection. Various studies1 suggest that kissing may play a role in our process of assessing a potential partner. That's because kissing gets us close enough to a potential mate to unconsciously assess compatibility through our senses.
- Kissing can increase arousal. Many people find kissing arousing, and it can be a great way to build up to sex. According to OB/GYN Jessica A. Shepherd, M.D., MBA, that's because kissing produces many feel-good and stimulating effects on the body: "Several factors have been identified with kissing and love, including oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine, serotonin, cortisol, and other stress hormones, nerve growth factor, and testosterone," she tells mbg.
- Kissing can make you feel high. As mentioned above, kissing releases a party of feel-good hormones that dance together to give you a natural high, including oxytocin (the so-called love hormone) and dopamine (a hormone associated with happiness and attraction).
- Kissing is linked to a higher likelihood of orgasm for women. Women are more likely to have an orgasm when sex involves "deep kissing," a 2018 study6 found.
- Overview
- Some kisses are rooted in attachment
- Some kisses are rooted in romantic love
- And some kisses are spurred by your sex drive
- Plus, kissing (of any type) just plain feels good
- The bottom line
It depends on who we’re kissing
Humans pucker up for all kinds of reasons. We kiss for love, for luck, to say hello and goodbye. There’s also the whole ‘it feels so good’ thing.
And when you stop and really think about the act of kissing, it’s kind of strange, isn’t it? Pressing your lips against someone else and, in some cases, swapping saliva? It turns out there’s some science behind this strange but enjoyable behavior.
There are many theories about how kissing originated and why we do it. Some scientists believe that kissing is a learned behavior, since roughly 10 percent of humans don’t kiss at all and considerably fewer kiss with romantic or sexual intent. Others believe kissing is instinctual and rooted in biology.
Kissing causes a chemical reaction in your brain, including a burst of the hormone oxytocin. It’s often referred to as the “love hormone,” because it stirs up feelings of affection and attachment.
According to a 2013 study, oxytocin is particularly important in helping men bond with a partner and stay monogamous.
Women experience a flood of oxytocin during childbirth and breastfeeding, strengthening the mother-child bond.
Speaking of feeding, many believe that kissing came from the practice of kiss-feeding. Much like birds feeding worms to their little chicks, mothers used to — and some still do — feed their children their chewed up food.
You know that high you feel when you’re head over heels for a new love and spending time canoodling with them? That’s the effect of the dopamine in your brain’s reward pathway.
Dopamine is released when you do something that feels good, like kissing and spending time with someone you’re attracted to.
This and other “happy hormones” make you feel giddy and euphoric. The more you get of these hormones, the more your body wants them. For some, this may be more apparent at the start of a relationship — especially if most of your time is spent in a lip lock.
If you can keep up a steady pace of kissing after that initial spark fizzles, you can continue to enjoy the benefits of those happy hormones.
It’s no secret that some kisses are totally sex-driven and far from platonic.
Older research shows that for women, kissing is a way to size up a potential mate. It also plays an important role in their decision to hit the sheets.
Female participants said they were less likely to have sex with someone without kissing first. They also reported that how well someone kisses can make or break their partner’s chances of getting to third base.
It’s also been shown that men kiss to introduce sex hormones and proteins that make their female partner more sexually receptive.
You can thank the many nerve endings in your lips for their part in making kissing feel so very good.
Your lips have more nerve endings than any other part of your body. When you press them against another set of lips or even warm skin, it just feels good. Combine that with the chemical cocktail released during kissing, and you’ve got a recipe that’s sure to give you all the feels.
Kissing feels great and does the body good. It can help people feel connected and strengthen bonds of all kinds.
Just remember that not everyone wants to be kissed or sees kissing the way you do. It doesn’t matter if you’re greeting someone new, puckering up to peck a bestie, or going into a smooch sesh with a romantic interest — you should always ask before you smooch.
- Adrienne Santos-Longhurst
- Adrienne Santos-Longhurst
- It boosts your ‘happy hormones’ Kissing triggers your brain to release a cocktail of chemicals that leave you feeling oh so good by igniting the pleasure centers of the brain.
- Which helps you bond with the other person. Oxytocin is a chemical linked to pair bonding. The rush of oxytocin released when you kiss causes feelings of affection and attachment.
- And has a tangible impact on your self-esteem. In addition to boosting your happy hormones, kissing can reduce your cortisol levels — potentially improving your feelings of self-worth.
- It also relieves stress. Speaking of cortisol, kissing also lowers cortisol levels and stress. Kissing and other affectionate communication, like hugging and saying “I love you,” impacts the physiological processes related to stress management.
Jan 3, 2024 · Why does kissing feel so good? A kiss can release endorphins such as oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine. The release of these endorphins can cause kissing to feel good, according to a 2019...
- Marissa Moore
- Stress Reduction. Kissing prompts the release of oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone." This neuropeptide helps reduce stress and promote feelings of bonding and attachment.
- Immune System Boost. Believe it or not, kissing can boost your immune system. When you exchange saliva with your partner, you're exposed to various germs and pathogens.
- Mood Enhancement. Kissing stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. It can improve your mood and leave you feeling happier and more content.
- Communication. Beyond the physiological benefits, kissing serves as a powerful form of non-verbal communication. It conveys desire, affection, and emotional connection.
Apr 9, 2020 · Why does kissing feel good? When the millions of nerve endings on your lips are activated with a kiss, it makes you feel good because of the signals it transfers to your brain. Gordon says there is evidence that some people remember the details of their first kiss far better than they remember the details of their first sexual encounter.
Jul 6, 2019 · Kissing releases feel-good hormones. Kissing activates the brain’s reward system, releasing neurotransmitters like oxytocin, "the love hormone," and vasopressin, which bonds mothers with...
