7 Benefits of Kissing

A kiss can mean a lot of things - some kisses can either be romantic or platonic - and in some cultures, a kiss is considered ritualistic or symbolic on its own. Kissing can strengthen bonds and cement relationships but whatever it’s for, we can all agree that it feels great. It’s not as if we need more reasons to do it more often but research has shown that kissing is actually good for the health.

So, get ready to reach out, grab the one you love and start smooching. Here are the top seven health benefits of kissing:

1. Better Heart Health
Want to keep your ticker healthy and strong? Kiss and kiss some more!

We can go scientific (and research has proven that those who kiss more often are 45% less likely to have heart problems) but really, it all comes down to how kissing can make one feel happy and relaxed. The more you’re at peace, the healthier your heart can be, along with the rest of your body. 

2. Improved Circulation
It’s all in the chemistry, really. Our brains release a lot of happy hormones when we kiss and it’s these happy hormones that help our blood vessels to expand and open up, allowing for better blood flow and oxygen circulation.

3. Burn, Calories, Burn!
Kissing (remember: the more vigorous, the more impactful) can help you burn up to 16 calories. It’s not quite the cardio workout and it won’t have the same effect as a spin class but kissing, in this case, can be considered another form of exercise.

4. Relax (don't) and do it!
Feeling anxious? Kiss the one you love and let that kiss help you relax.

The body produces more oxytocin (otherwise known as the love hormone) while kissing. Oxytocin gives us the warm fuzzies from kissing and helps us relax as well. So, the next time you feel anxiety creeping up on you, lean in for a kiss instead of worrying.

5. Get Happy
It turns out there’s a deeper reason as to why kissing feels so good! 

Apart from oxytocin, kissing also stimulates the brain to release serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. These four are the pillars of our bliss. Keep this in mind the next time you feel the need to lift your spirits and tap into your happy hormones.

6. Better Oral Health
Kissing (especially French kissing) encourages a lot of movement in the mouth. This allows saliva production to increase which can help clean our teeth, get rid of plaque and cavity-causing bacteria but don’t go neglecting your dental hygiene. You don’t want to repel a follow-up kiss with the absence of a minty-fresh breath, do you?

7. Naturally Tones The Face
Of the 43 muscles in the face, 34 are used when kissing. Now, we all know about facial exercises and how they can firm up the cheeks, promote the elasticity of the skin and strengthen the jaw. It might sound a bit unromantic but the next time you kiss, think about how it helps tone the muscles in your face and neck.

Make kissing a priority today and every day. The seven reasons listed above should be enough to encourage you to do so but if you need a bit more of a push, British poet Rupert Brooke summarises it best. He said:

“A kiss makes the heart young again and wipes out the years.”