6 Ways to Naturally Enhance Oxytocin Production This Valentine’s Day
Oxytocin is a naturally produced hormone, secreted by a pituitary gland no larger than a pea. While the gland is small, its impact on your life is not. Known as the “love hormone”, oxytocin is the hormone that makes you feel butterflies when you see your crush, it’s the hormone that helps mother and baby bond during breastfeeding, it even increases feelings of companionship between people and their pets.
While there may be no such thing as a love potion, and statistics on pheromones are lacking in research, the scientific evidence behind oxytocin is undeniable. If you want to increase the romantic vibes you feel this Valentine’s Day, consider these 6 ways to naturally boost your oxytocin production. Share them with your partner to make it a Valentine’s Day, you won’t soon forget.
1. Be Intimate: Being physical may already be at the top of your list of things to do this Valentine’s Day, but did you know that by increasing your level of touch you could also inadvertently boost your oxytocin levels. Physical touch, not necessarily sexual, but skin on skin or a warm embrace can cause the brain to release signals of pleasure, which cause the body to release oxytocin. The same release is experienced following orgasm; meaning that you can increase your connection with a partner, or at least, feel more connected for a time, during and directly after intimacy.
2. Familiarity and Comfort: A surprising way to boost oxytocin is by surrounding yourself with comfort and familiarity. From comfort foods like Mom’s homemade apple turnovers, to your childhood vacation cottage, immersing yourself in things that encourage good memories and happy feelings can stimulate the pleasure center of the brain, again improving oxytocin levels.
Looking for ways to spark romance in a new relationship? Share some of these memories and comforts with your partner. Connecting over places and things which increase oxytocin can only improve what you’ve begun.
Get Your Heart Pumping: Not just because Valentine’s Day is coming, but for the sake of your health and oxytocin production. Studies show that exercise can have a big impact on brain activity and hormones, including the love hormone. As you workout and boost adrenaline and endorphins, your body begins to increase oxytocin levels naturally. This is another way that physical intimacy such as sex can impact the release of the love hormone, but it doesn’t have to be a sexual workout to receive these benefits. You can improve oxytocin levels simply by going for a swim, running around the track, taking a yoga class, or enjoying a sport or physical activity with your partner.
4. Make Yourself Happy: Sounds easier said than done, but smiling is a proven oxytocin inducer, even more so when laughter is involved. Studies have shown that smiling and laughing can improve moods, increase confidence, and yes, promote natural oxytocin production.
This makes a great excuse to take your Valentine’s Day date to a comedy club or funny movie this year. It also puts a whole new spin on being labelled the “funny” guy or girl in a relationship. If you’ve got the gift of comedy, use it to your advantage and the next date you have might turn into something more.
5. Say Goodbye to Stress: This method of oxytocin improvement is more about what not to do. You may have noticed a pattern to the things that increase natural oxytocin production; they are also things that make you happy or increase feelings of positivity. Well, just as positive vibes can increase oxytocin levels, negative vibes can bring them down, and nothing is more negative than stress. Unfortunately, feeling anxious or stressed emotionally can decrease your oxytocin levels and prevent your body from producing.
Looking for ways to beat this oxytocin killer? Meditation, nature walks, massage, and focused breathing techniques are all known ways to ease off feelings of stress and welcome back the positive energy. You can use these techniques to your advantage come Valentine’s Day by sharing in a couples retreat or spa day with your partner. Avoid stress together and improve your chances for as much love hormone as possible.
6. Think of Your Partner: Finally, and perhaps the least likely way to increase oxytocin production, thinking of your partner. As a child you were likely dissuaded and possibly even scolded for daydreaming rather than doing, but as it turns out, daydreaming about your crush, or partner could be beneficial to oxytocin production. Scientific research has shown that thinking of your spouse or loved one can cause those feelings of love to ripple to the surface and increase natural oxytocin levels.
If you’ve been feeling disconnected lately, and are looking for a way to reconnect over Valentine’s Day try positively thinking of your partner. Make an effort to picture him or her throughout the day, and associate them with positive memories or images. If you can combine this with those above-mentioned feelings of familiarity and comfort, you could double your odds.
So, why all the effort to enhance oxytocin? Whether you’re in a brand-new relationship and are looking for a way to increase a connection, or you’re in a long-term relationship which requires a little something extra to reignite the fire, oxytocin can promote a positive and long-term affect on your relationship. Try one or more of these safe and natural oxytocin-boosting tips for your Valentine’s Day extravaganza, and you might be pleasantly surprised.
WARNING: Limitations of Online Doctor/Medical Consultations and Online Prescriptions, QuickRxRefills Cannot and Will NOT Prescribe, Dispense, or Resell any and all medications Narcotics/Controlled Substances (this policy is fully enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)) for Anti-depressants, Pain, Anxiety, Weightloss, Sleep, ADHD/ADD, Anabolic Steroids, Testosterone Replacement Therapy and any and all Medications that contain GabaPentin or Pseudroephedrine including non-controlled substances or any medications that are considered controversial, Off Labeled (Growth Hormone aka HGH) or recalled in nature such (i.e. Retin-A, Accutane). Furthermore, QuickRxRefills is not a substitute for an office based physician in your location nor is it a substitute for Emergency Medical Care or 911. If you do experience a "true" medical emergency your are encouraged to pick up the phone and dial 911 as soon as possible.
